Dark Prayer
by Xzero
Summary: Dark Prayer has been reloaded without its lyrics, as per FFnet's new rule. Read and Review.
1. Last Resort

**Dark Prayer**

By X-Zero

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2 and I don't own the copyrights to Papa Roaches' music. Please don't sue me, I don't have any money.

**Chapter One- Last Resort**

The day hadn't been going well for him, okay more than any other day. Ranma jumped from the ground just a before the ground he was standing on became a crater.

"You feelin' okay P-Chan? You don't usually suck this much." He taunted, barely managing to avoid a quick barrage of striped bandanas, a shallow cut on his arm the price paid for his hasty evasion.

"Damn you Ranma stay still and DIE!" He shouted with his battle aura blooming outward as an onslaught of painful and despairing memories assaulted him.

"Perfect Shi Shi Hokodan!" Ryoga screamed as the blast went soaring at Ranma.

"Shit!" The pigtailed martial artist called out, eyes widening as he pushed himself harder, hastily gathering his aura between cupped palms. Ranma Saotome NEVER loses! His confidence in this truth caused the brilliant ball of blue plasma to grow, swelling with pride.

"Mouko Takabisha!" He watched his blast soar at the green ovoid and despaired slightly, it wasn't enough, his energy levels were dangerously low, and he doubted he could manage another one, not that it would matter. That's it, and with the last bit of auxiliary energy he could muster, the world slowed considerably, his entire form encompassed in the speed technique, the name of which he could not recall. Defeat meant death and that wasn't an option. He knew that last ditch blast wouldn't stop Ryoga's hatred, it wouldn't work. As the blast raced toward him, crashing through his own with ease he set things into motion. Just a little more. He drew everything he could from his surroundings, allowing the cold of the soul of ice to condense into a swirling orb within his left hand, the temperature around him dropped rapidly as his unique version of cold rage took over, the orb still bleeding off an awful cold. He concentrated harder than ever before, pulling the last of the icy energy generated by the technique into the sphere; he thrust his arms forward, carefully directing the frozen orb with supreme mental exertion.

In real-time, Ryoga saw something wrong as the air around Ranma seemed to freeze and draw inward, swirling into him. The cold reaching him he felt something wrong, the energy in the air turned cold, biting him slightly, but just as soon as it happened, he felt the cold draw away from him and into the orb held tightly in his opponent's hands. He panicked as he heard the cry, and tried to brace himself for this attack, as he knew that worse than anything else was a cornered and wounded animal, and Ranma shared currently the feral look of a hunting cat. 

"Retsu-hi!" Gathered chi in one hand he drew back his fist, waiting for the swirling ovoid death to come within range. There. He threw out his arm with a corkscrew punch, and his fist struck the sickly colored ki blast. The blast seemed to halt at that, as the cold chi enveloped the hot internal energies and stripped them, the blast heating up, and with it, pulling that last bits of the fanged berserker's attack with it, rocketing quickly toward the originator of the first.

The hastily conceived plan succeeded, and the blast flew true, rocketing into Ryoga with the power of both his and Ranma's blasts, the ground beneath him, exploding as well, sending bits of shrapnel into the air, and more importantly, into the bandana-clad boy. Ranma was tired, and damn near spent from his tiring day, a fight with each of his rivals, and a not-so-brisk run through the district due to a misunderstanding. His last enemy defeated he sagged to the ground, exhausted. He would return home when he had recovered enough wind to walk, he thought, well he was wrong. As he lay there bleeding, with closed eyes, he heard a sound that heralded pain.

"Ranma! Stop picking on Ryoga!" He felt the air part beneath the mallet's head, and then the sharp pain, and taste of copper in his mouth as he bit into his lip, then nothingness, sweet nothingness.

Dreams: They are the revitalizing part of our sleep, allowing our mind to catch up to us. Some even see them as glimpses into either the future, or even perhaps, into other worlds. Ranma's were no different, except that they afforded him no respite from the agonizing life he lived. He watched the surrealness of his unconsciousness turned to dreams, and later from dreaming into seeing. He had awakened some time the next day he figured, as the painful brightness of the sun came down through his window. A few extra bruises had been added to those he gained from the day before. He lay there on the futon for what must have been hours, he couldn't truly tell, his body had shut down so he could heal himself in preparation for the next time he would sleep, and thus was unable to move. He stewed in his own thoughts as the muscle and bone returned to normal. Mind that the bandages around him suggested Tofu, and he could only thank the doctor silently as his body was healing correctly. Sometime though, as the sun was setting, he slipped back into the land of dreams, one he would not remember. 

Later that night, a figure stood in the doorway to the Tendo's guest room. She was quite obviously a she, despite her deep black cloak, sighed longingly as she looked down on the peaceful martial artist, who she could tell from the increasing ki flow through his form, was truly who she suspected. Discarding that train of thought, she walked over to him, and placed quickly beside him a small device, and a note, she hoped that this small gift would help him unleash his true potential. She slipped out the same way she had come, down through the house and out the kitchen door. Going unnoticed by the sleeping family.

_"I can't go on living this way." _Ranma thought to himself as the morning brought forth a whole new trial. Ranma awoke before his father, still stiff from his injuries, but with a bit of exercise he'd loosen up. Laying still for a moment allowed his body to settle slightly, the stiffness dulling. He rolled to his side and arched an eyebrow, seeing a small device laid right next to him. He then noticed the card that sat atop it, his name written in beautiful calligraphic letters.

* * *

'Dear Ranma,

I have been watching your trials since before your battle with the Phoenix,

during the times ahead the music on this device will help you greatly in finding your

focus. Call out the name of your opponent and a suitable playlist will activate on the

device, the battery will recharge itself if shut off for 3 hours. In case you were worried

the case is waterproof and made of a special alloy. Nothing short of another battle with

the phoenix Saffron will destroy it, so there is no reason to worry about waters'

particularly strange attraction to you, or your unique tendency to find trouble.

Sincerely,

A Friend'

* * *

He read it and gave the idea a thought. Pops always did say that to fight well one must have a rhythm. His smirk turned into a mischievous grin as he stuffed the small device into his roll of clothes. Can't let pop get a hold of this. He gathered up the roll of clothing and headed for the bath. He scrubbed off, shivering slightly as the cold water caused a tingle, and the odd sensation of turning into a female. He strode silently to the furo, and climbed in, feeling the same tingle, signifying his return to the gender of his birth. Resting in the furo he found time to think about the previous day.

Everyone and his grandfather who could possibly have a problem with Ranma had managed to find him, everyone. Though most weren't much challenge, the few who were really taxed his energy, and when it came down to Ryoga he knew he shouldn't have won, but he did. Shaking his head he stood up and dried off, there was no time for such thoughts. He dressed quickly and went downstairs, remembering to tuck the device into his pockets and place the earphones into his ears, he'd give this a try, maybe he could even manage to incorporate music, another of his life's loves into his fighting style.

Breakfast was its usual thing, Nabiki grumbling something about the sun, Kasumi humming softly to herself, unknowing brightening the pigtailed boy's morning along with her song, Tendo-san buried behind a newspaper, only the clicking of his chopsticks to attest to his eat. The panda trying desperately to steal his breakfast and failing in its attempts. Akane shot murderous glances at her unwanted fiancée. Like previously mentioned, the breakfast was for the most-part silent, also as usual the meal remained uneventful. Until the inevitably mumbled.

"Uncute tomboy." Grumbled as Ranma's thoughts were expressed under his breath as he ate, Akane's eye twitched violently as her anger began to visibly roll off her in waves.

"Jerk!" Her words were very loudly punctuated by a devastating, glowing mallet.

Ranma soared through the air, only annoyed by the blow, sure it would be fatal, at least, to a normal person, and as everyone in Nerima knew, you could not truthfully associate Saotome Ranma and normal. He began to worry about how things were progressing as he flew through the air, his ascent not yet complete, and every day the challengers, fiancées, and otherwise deranged martial artists were increasing in number.

Even now, a year after the disaster that was known now only as the "wedding incident" things hadn't seemed to calm, in fact they were steadily getting worse. He felt himself reach the peak of his ascent, and returned his thoughts to more pressing matters, avoiding Rapid Deceleration Syndrome. With expertise born of much practice he began to angle his descent, spreading his limbs to slow himself as much as possible. As he looked down from his position he noticed that at least he wouldn't be late for school.

He smiled bitterly at that thought, school, the place he hated most, (well it was only slightly worse than home, after all, at home he didn't have to deal with the Blue Blunder) had become his only refuge, the only place where he could sleep undisturbed. He landed nimbly, not even kicking up dust as he flared his ki at the last moment beneath him, slowing himself dramatically. On the upside to all this, he had become far stronger, all the challenges and fights, and general narrow escapes from death had increased his ki reserves, as well as strength and endurance, which all mixed well with his impressive speed.

Being as Kuno had yet to appear he counted his blessings...

"Halt! Foul sorcerer, prepare to release the beauteous Akane and virtuous Pigtailed Girl from thy base debauchery. I will smite thee. That the fair maidens will be free to shower my righteous self with the affections a being of my noble birth doth deserve." Apparently he had started counting too soon. He grinned, deciding that since he was early he would try out this music thingy that the "friend" sent him. Kuno ranting away as he reached into his pocket and pressed the power button hearing the thing come to life with a dull hum from the earphones. He adjusted calmly the wireless earpieces that coiled around his ear as if they had been made to fit only him. He slid into a neutral and called out one word.

"... With this blade I will fell you vile magician, be ye cast back into the abyss from whence ye came." Kuno called out charging our pigtailed hero, his katana glowing orange. He was halfway at Ranma when the pigtailed martial artist said something he couldn't hear.

"Kuno." Music began pouring into his head, and then Kuno's blade fell, and just as suddenly Ranma was, well, not there. He had leapt back, rebounding off the wall, and unsurprisingly to the few students there, it collapsed under the enormous air pressure from Kuno's strike. He smirked, Kuno had gotten much better since the failed wedding, much better, almost a challenge. He smirked, this song was great, energy poured into every cell of his being. He understood, the music, it brought a sort of clarity that he'd never imagined.

"Alright Kuno, this time it's for keeps." Ranma said, his aura flaring about him, and than shrunk back into him, until golden arcs of electricity jumped randomly across his glowing form. His actions shocked a few of the students with his display of power that wasn't considered by the general populace to be Ranma's style. Some started placing the last bets before the Ice Queen's factors closed the pools, their sempai watching things from her usual window, apparently having come to school just after Ranma had been air-mailed here.

Kuno smirked in a way only a delusional Shakespearian reject could.

"I shall see thyne end demon!" With that declaration he charged, bringing the glowing sword in a slash from an upper attitude, only to miss as Ranma dodged by inches, and raised a single hand as swayed back into an upright position to slap the idiot's blade outward with his middle and index fingers, widening the holes in Kuno's guard enough for him to drive a truck through. Ranma slid his arm down the flat of the blade, keeping the fools guard open for the few more seconds necessary to slap Kuno across the face.

The shock from the outright insult to his skill gave the pigtailed fighter enough time to bury what looked to be one slow punch to the gut, but the trained eyes of the crowd saw how Kuno expelled breath more than a few times, telling of a number of rabbit punches. Kuno bent slightly, his eyes bugged out and he slumped to his knees groaning in pain. The indication that something was wrong only came to Ranma when Kuno suddenly leapt up and forward, his voice booming over even his music.

"Tenmou!" The kendoist's blade rolled in his hand, switching it quickly to a reverse grip as he leapt forward toward the Saotome heir, and followed up with another switched grip, falling toward his foe that was in mid dodge. The next blow sent the orange hue surrounding his blade outward, a blade of ki hurtling toward Ranma.

Ranma's eyes widened as he saw the blade coming, he knew he wouldn't escape without pain, but he could lessen the damage. He jumped back, and winced as he felt the blade climb up his chest, ruining his shirt with both the rip and the line of blood that would seep into the silken garment. He was leaping back when he saw the second half of Kuno's technique, Nice form. He thought to himself as he watched the orange glow rip away from the blade sliding through the air toward him. Humph, loser. He snorted as he gathered some energy and crossed his arms. The blade of ki reached him and exploded against his arms and sent him flying backward from the shockwave.

He landed in a modified jinga, his stance shifting in a swaying motion his feet only swaying minorly, and his annoyance with Kuno rising steadily. He finally noticed that this fight had reduced his shirt to nothingness, his mind drifting momentarily toward Kasumi, who had spent hours fixing this shirt, maintaining it because she knew it was his favorite. He snapped then his mind lulled into harmony with the fight, his cold rage taking over, his form kept swaying slightly with the beat, flowing back and forth as the demented swordsman charged him. His rocking motion immediately became something serious as he started dodging the rapid fire sword thrusts. He ducked, dodged, flipped and at some points he even parried the blows, smiling evilly all the way, the song echoing throughout his mind.

As the song reached its peak his normally cocky grin faded, replaced by a more feral smirk. "Time to end this." His pace increased and he blurred from sight long enough for several loud crashes to be heard as Kuno was thrown around by something none of the other students could see. From a third floor window Nabiki looked on with not a little bit of confusion, not that it could show mind you. He looks like he's moving in the Amaguriken, except, his whole body is moving that fast. Little did any of the others know that her thoughts were reflected by the ones Cologne was having at that very moment, standing as she was atop a building across the street. Son-in-law is much stronger than he has been letting on, he must be brought into the tribe at any cost. 

"Nothing's al---right!" Ranma yelled, going with the flow of the song as it ended, the song ended and Kuno was laid out, and in a strangely contorted heap.

"Sleep mode." He smirked as he continued on into the school, catching the article of clothing in one hand over his head. He looked up to see a nodding Nabiki looking down on him before turning back into the school.

A figure stood atop the school, shadowed by the clock.

"He is almost ready, soon, very soon." With that the figure disappeared into the shadows once again.

To Be Continued…

Techniques Translation:

**Retsu-hi: **It means Cold fire.

**Tenmou:** It means Divine Judgment


	2. The Edge

Dark Prayer

By: X-Zero

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, those characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. All music belongs to their respective artists and the record companies that represent them.

**Chapter 2- The Edge**

The school day went by surprisingly normally, discounting the fact that Kuno was still unconscious in the infirmary. This meant that Ranma's habit of late, actually paying attention in class, was being observed with a bit of fear. The pigtailed one observed his classes boredly, not finding anything among the curriculum he didn't already know. Of course, when the class topic is involving physics, there are no higher authorities on their laws than one Saotome Ranma. He sat in class, noting a few mistakes being made by the teacher, but nothing worth noting really, just slight miscalculations in minor parts of the formulas, he could almost be called focused, until the bell rang. In an instant he had crossed the room and pushed easily out the window, tucking into a roll in midair.

As he reached the ground another brief flare of his ki could be felt by the sensitive or trained, and in that instant his near terminal velocity had slowed dramatically and he set down on the ground without raising dust. He strode casually to his tree, his refuge from the moronic commonality that was the student populace, each holding some odd superstition about the young man, each equally wrong in their assumption. So far the only ones to get to know him were Hiroshi and Daisuke, and even then, since getting together with Yuka and Sayuri respectively they had less guy time. The two hormone driven teens could be seen chasing after the pair of coeds, apologizing profusely for something they had apparently said, he smiled bitterly as he leapt into a low branch of the tree, pulling out the wrapped bento and saying a silent thank you to the eldest Tendo sister. He opened his lunch and inhaled the wonderful aroma of still warm rice and strips of steak. He started eating the delicious treat slowly, not having to worry about his food being stolen by his greedy father, or poisoned by a lunatic gymnast.

"Hiya Ranchan!" Ranma looked down and saw the smiling face of Ukyo gazing back up to him as he finished the bento, a plate with a fresh Okonomiyaki being offered up to him as he ate his bento. He smiled softly at the young woman, she cared about him so much he knew, but restrained herself from being overbearing, an attitude she had adopted since the failed wedding, having been shocked at her own behavior. He couldn't fault her entirely, she had serious abandonment issues, not that he'd put it in so many words.

"Thanks Ucchan." He said, wolfing down the pizza-like dish in a couple of bites, savoring the flavor of the well made pie as he stuffed it in his stomach.

"That was delicious, thank you." He said, having emptied his mouth of food. He'd barely had time to swallow before he heard a sound he had come to dread second only to Kodachi's maniacal cackle.

_BRING BRING_

A bicycle bell, so simple a thing that would seem so innocent to so many, but not to him, he knew the horrors such a thing could cause. He darted from the tree limb and pushed Ukyo out of the path of the descending aluminum transportation before…

_CRASH_

It was an interesting predicament, being stuck beneath the tires of a bike, treads digging into his back, while head and his arms thrust forward, spread in a vague warding gesture. He hadn't even been given the chance to recover before being subjected to another one of those cruel punishments fitting only for those that spawned evil, hateful things, like the teletubbies.

"Nihao airen, I bring you too too delicious ramen. You eat than take Shampoo on date, yes?" Asked as the bicycle was tossed to the wayside, and he was gathered into a bone crushing... embrace, one might call it.

Ranma could only groan slightly, his air cut off and the darkness swimming across his vision in small spots as he slowly turned a deep blue. Weakly and only if one listened carefully could you hear the strangled plea.

"Le'go, help me." He tried, but failed to break the Amazon's grip around the base of his diaphragm. Though she probably couldn't get her off of him, Ukyo sure as hell was going to try, she rushed towards them.

"Let go of Ranchan you bimbo." She said, bringing her combat spatula to bear. Near the edge of the oblivion, Ranma's danger sense sent a jolt through him, rousing him. Oh shit, trouble.

Ranma panicked, Shampoo and Ukyo weren't safe, and they wouldn't sense the attack until they couldn't avoid it. An instant was enough to formulate a plan. Finding his focus he released enough ki that his aura surged outward in a strange shockwave. Both girls were blown back by the density and expulsion of tightly reigned bio-energy, clearing the blast zone as the young man reigned his aura back into his body, weaving it tightly into every cell, pushing each to its limits. His perceptions returned to the physical, watching as chains, daggers, and a varied assortment of pointy, slicy, and poundy type death annihilated the ground where he was moments earlier, lifting dirt and rock into the air, masking his position in the air until his ascent carried him over the bloom of earth.

He scanned the immediate area, finding his target a short distance away before loosing that feral grin. The earpieces were still there, despite being brained. His lips formed words spoken to seemingly no one. "Mousse" The song began, he knew its name, One Step Closer, by the American group Linkin Park. He grinned, gathering energy around his fists as he fell toward the blind-ish Amazon male. "Hey duck boy, this is it, I'm tired of your shit." He yelled, not hearing his opponent's response. Probably something about how I'm trying to seduce shampoo. He thought irritated as he released his own barrage of attacks.

"Ryuusei Ame!" His fists glowed red as restrained rage filled his fists and unleashed the feelings into Mousse, the hard way.

The punches rained down on the painfully near-sighted Amazon for nearly ten seconds, each red coated fist exploding against his white robes, the fist pumping back to regain its scarlet hue, each fleshy weapon alternating in this fashion. Finally, with a rage filled scream Ranma threw a last punch, the force and expelled ki exploding around his fist. Both he and Mousse were thrown backward by the larger than average burst of energy. Mousse was thrown dazedly to land on his back, groaning as he rose from his position, refusing to succumb to unconsciousness. He'd win damnit! He wouldn't leave his beloved to this monstrous beast! The myopic martial artist growled loudly and released a barrage of chains at his enemy, the spiked links tearing through the air as the morningstar heads plowed into the ground before Ranma before he himself rushed inwards toward his hated foe.

"Die, enemy of women! Kamo Hitouchi!"

A white-gold glow seemed to swirl around he thrust his clenched fists outward, opening as he struck. The glow launched forth, before showing to be dozens of small feather shaped ki-bolts. The pigtailed hero quickly realized that his opponent had trapped him, using his refusal to involve innocents in his fights to keep him from dodging this attack. If he did he would endanger the non-martial artist students who had flocked to the fight. Determined he released his aura, and with the rapid release it exploded outward. He threw his left arm out at a slight angle, simultaneously doing the same with his right. The limbs moved so quickly they tore the very air, and a pair of vacuum blades formed within his aura, and immediately surged outward catching several of the feathers in their wake, others within the blade itself, each exploding on contact, their flow disrupted.

"That's enough! Put one more of them in danger cause you wanna kill me duck boy, and I'll show you why Saffron lost." He promised, his aura expanding with hot anger, veins crimson pulsing through his aura of confidence. Ranma's challenge went unrequited, and Mousse launched from his volumous sleeves a heavy payload of chains at Ranma, leaving a crater in place of his opponent whose anger could be felt in tangible waves by everyone present, and masters throughout the island chain on which Japan was situated. Ranma had not wasted a motion, sidestepping the onslaught that scarred the school grounds, only suffering a few shallow cuts from unearthed rocks. Ranma sneered at the pitiful man he faced, and rushed Mousse from his standing position, his takeoff speed pushing a rut into the concrete on which he stood from the pressure. 

As the pigtailed martial artist charged his opponent those in the crowd normally unable to see his aura were surprised, a bonfire of energy having been visible to the mob of teenagers for the majority of the fight, their untrained eyes marveling at the deadly beauty of Ranma's soul. They were all shocked, having believed that the story about Ranma going to China, and blowing up a mountain were exaggerated tales from an over inflated ego, though now they could all share a common thought, one who despised him more than any other on the grounds, Kuno Tatewaki who watched everything from the window of the infirmary, finally standing.

"Could it be that the mercenary Tendo spake the truth? That the sorcerer journeyed to the mystic land of China to do mortal combat with the Honou-tentei?" Others who were uncertain could no longer deny what they saw before them.

A spinning back fist from the left, reaping sweep to the ankles from the right, and the ki-enhanced hammer fist to the back sent the myopic martial artist crashing to the concrete, dazed and hurt. Ranma leapt back, struggling to control the swelling rage within him, wanting desperately for the boy to rise, he hadn't finished him, just reminded him where his place was, his place in the pecking order, Furinkan and Nerima were his, and he wasn't going to let any fool wannabe take from him his territory, he'd show him that he wasn't at all boasting when he said he was the best.

Mousse grunted in pain as he rose to his slippered feet, he was determined to win; he'd do anything to get Shampoo, anything. The moment he was able, he loosed an armorer's cache of daggers at a rapid rate born of obvious desperation, trying to ward of the slowly advancing form wreathed in spirit fire. Unfortunately for him, the path of his knives was far too widespread and even more unfortunately, would hit the students were they to miss their target.

"Time to burn, ducky." His anger bolstered his degrading strength, the protective aura having taken great strength from him. His arms burned as power flooded them to complete the task he had set before him.

"Nigori Hari!" The pinpoint motes of light drew out of the air and between his wrists; the energy coalesced and was thrust forth in a matter of seconds, small bolts of directed ki spread from his body, reducing the projectiles to molten slag with seemingly minimal effort. Then with an expression of his enormous will he turned the remaining shots of energy at his half-blind foe, each small bolt striking the Amazon or the area around him detonating on impact. No small amount of rage fueled his attack on the raven-haired Amazon. As he released his hold on the technique, the myopic moron fell into unconsciousness, body riddled with burns from the explosions and otherwise grievously injured.

"Sleep mode." And the earpieces went silent, the track ending. He then noticed to his horror that one blade had slid through his guard, past him and into some innocent in his haste to destroy them all. He lost any appearance of tired as he rushed toward the downed girl, hilt of a dagger jutting out of her leg. He knelt down to her, with a quickly diminishing look of panic, he needed to stay calm. He appraised the wound with grim efficiency, no damaged nerves; it had missed the artery but would need stitches. He quickly tapped a few pressure points around the wound halting the slowing the blood flow, and halting the majority of the bleeding.

"C'mon, I'll take you to the nurse; she can help you until the ambulance arrives." He said lifting her into tired arms, and began to sprint, as fast as weary muscles would carry him, to the nurse, and the infirmary.

Akane, whom had stayed inside until she heard Ranma's technique explode against dozens of blades and a blind duck, only saw him lifting a random girl and running off with her, so she followed his path to the entryway, hurrying to find him, jealousy and anger clouding her mind from noticing the obvious, such as the unconscious Amazon, the craters, or even the dozens of melted knives that lay as glowing pools on the concrete.

In the infirmary Ranma was resting on a cot that had been set up for unconscious members of the hentai horde, ingesting a gross amount of the leftover lunch menu, hunger having gotten to him after his worries were sated. The paramedics had arrived shortly after he had, and were instructing the injured girl, who, now removed from his battle haze, Ranma recognized as Akane's friend Yuka, how to use the crutches she'd need to use for a while as her leg healed.

Akane made it to the infirmary as the paramedics left, gone off to deal with things elsewhere within the city. There she saw Ranma, obviously gorging himself after doing perverted things with some hussy. With that thought she decided he needed to be punished, and so she went she stomped toward him, her anger driven battle aura, swirling up into a blaze of jealousy and rage. She pulled out her mallet and dealt the blow she felt was divine justice being delivered. She never saw the attack that sent her into the wall, spider web cracks forming as she slumped to the floor unconscious.

Unnoticed, the cloaked woman stood in the tree outside, watching as events played out during the fight, and then in the infirmary. He's beginning to release his hold on his skill. The strength with which he is using the techniques is increasing, soon, very soon will things fall into place.

To be continued…

Ranma's beginning to release his hold on his power, strength left checked until the direst of times. What'll happen next?

**Techniques Translation:**

**Ryuusei Ame:** This means Meteor Rain, it's an anger driven ki-empowered barrage of Amaguriken speed strikes, tiring at first but with training Ranma's improved on the technique, making it easier to do.

**Kamo Hitouchi:** This literally translates into Wild Duck Blow.

**Nigori Hari:** This roughly translates into Cryptic Needle; its literal translation is Murky/Unclear Needle.

**Honou-tentei:** This is a poetic way of saying Phoenix God. The route word honou refers to the mystical phoenix, the suffix tentei means, lord, god, or heavenly l


	3. Call My Name

**Dark Prayer**

By: X-Zero

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, those characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 3- Call My Name**

Ranma looked up to the body he had just sent off into unconsciousness, the feelings that had been swirling around in his mind constantly, he having been reflecting on his actions today, he'd been attacking his opponents with more than enough force, he'd been putting them down brutally, unlike him normally, now he wondered what was happening to him, life seemed to be going out of control, he wondered idly if it were his new fighting style. Realizing that he had struck Akane hard enough to send her into the wall without much more than a gentle push he felt was strange, he knew he was strong, but he'd only ever felt this strong when fighting opponents with a much greater overall power than himself.

* * *

Yuka, watched in amazement as she saw Akane flung bodily into the wall, strangely enough, she'd seen it all, Ranma was merely eating and had lifted his hand to her, and a shove that would normally look to put him out of mallet range had sent her flying. She limped over to the pigtailed martial artist, wondering what had changed in him to cause that sort of power.

"Ranma?" She whispered quietly, to herself more than anything else. She was trembling, afraid for the pigtailed teen; afraid of whatever it was that had happened to him to cause this drastic change. As he peered up at her from below his bangs, she saw the fear that quickly vanished from his eyes, while not a martial artist, Yuka knew how to read people, it came with being Akane's friend, one had to know what subjects to avoid, as not to earn her rage.

"I'm sorry you got hurt because of me, it shouldn'tve happened." He said bowing his head once more, feeling like a complete fool. He'd thought that things would've gotten better, that the cycle of trouble would end if he started taking things seriously, but they weren't changing. He pushed off the cot, the last bits of his lunch left behind in the bento.

"I gotta take the tomboy to doc's place, I hope you'll be okay." He said lifting Akane over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, before launching out the open window. Yuka could only watch as he went, having seen the pain in his eyes and the anger, the sorrow and fear that hide in those grey-blue orbs, she shook her head softly and grabbed crutches, heading toward class.

Ranma was just a few meters short of Tofu's clinic when an unwelcome sight reached his weary eyes, the idiots.

Genma and Soun were on their way out to a bar (A/N: Hey, I doubt they're decent enough to wait for nightfall to get smashed) when they caught sight of Ranma, he was carrying Akane, and she looked to be stirring from sleep. They both stopped in their tracks, they'd wait, hiding to see things unfold. Genma dove behind a car, Soun somehow managed to conceal himself behind a streetlight.

Ranma felt his uncute fiancée waking on his shoulder, and so he set her down roughly.

"C'mon you tomboy, wake up. I don't wanna have ta carry you anymore." He said agitatedly, his eyes showing his anger at her. She woke and looked up at her unwanted fiancée, burning rage clouding her eyes over as she recalled what had sent her tumbling off into the world of unconsciousness. She stood shakily, her head still spinning slightly, but not so much that she would be put off from punishing the fool, he'd had no right hitting her, punishments from her were divine mandate, didn't he know! She'd show him, calling up her anger and rage into her mallet, she brought it down, lunging at him, intent on pounding him into a puddle, and than playing pound the puddle.

Ranma watched bored as the aura grew, and than shaped itself into a mallet, watching Akane as she dashed for him, mallet raised overhead. He waited arms by his sides as she reached him, waiting, and waiting, NOW! Ranma flashed forward, smashing the mallet with a back fist, dissipating the ki construct with his own more powerful glowing fist.

"That's enough, if you wanna fight, than we'll fight, But I ain't gonna just dodge this time. He said hopping back and powering up his aura, the earphones glinting as they came to life, along with their companion. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, two figures rushing him from behind, body acting before his mind he leapt into the air, clearing his assailants easily, rebounding off the lamppost to land behind them, he, just scant meters away from his original goal saw his father, if one could give him such a title, and Soun. They were attacking him, screaming about his fiancée or something of the like, he didn't care.

"Boy, apologize to your fiancée at once." Genma went on, wailing about his ungrateful son.

"How dare you strike at my little girl, apologize this instant." Soun ranted, having invoked his demon head. Ranma grinned,

"Beat me and you'll get your wish, but be warned, I will not hold back against you." He stated calmly, shocking them. He'd just delivered them an invitation, who would they be to pass up such an opportunity, never mind the intensity he'd just shown or the strange glow in the young martial artist's eyes.

He said loudly, powering up his battle aura, the red aura sprang out of his form and then shrunk until it was an intense outline against his body. His normal cocky smirk was replaced by a feral grin.

"Worthless boy, you will apologize to your fiancée this instant." He said, angrily, and launched himself towards his progeny.

Ranma and his father clashed midair, the older man taking a brutal flying kick to the chest, just as his son did, the elder Saotome, however, was completely unprepared for what followed. Instead of trading blows as would usually occur the pigtailed martial artist fired a small ki blast directly into his opposition's chest, sending him sprawling to the cold ground. Ranma calmly landed from the initial clash, awaiting the incoming attack from the crybaby.

"Ahhhh!" Soun had been out of practice for quite some time, but he was far from over the hill. He dashed forward, right past his friend who he was forced to jump over to avoid. Almost immediately he was upon Ranma, striking out with fists and feet in what to any other would be a tremendously quick 15 attack combo. His moves were quick and powerful, buzzing by the Saotome heir by inches. Unfortunately for him, Ranma proved as he had time and again, that he was no ordinary fighter. He weaved in and out of the older man's attacks with irritating ease. Even as the last hit came close enough to strike, it was blocked solidly by a blue bracer. He looked up into his would be son-in-law's eyes, and was unnerved by the cold glare he received. He was further entranced by the angry red glow in the teen's eyes as he was suddenly finding himself thrown bodily into his just recovering friend, the both of the tumbling to the asphalt.

Ranma growled as his energy gathered in what was certainly going to put one of the aging martial artists out of this fight. He charged forward, leading foot digging a hole into the ground from the sheer power behind the simple step.

To the old men, who were quickly back on their feet, it looked like the angry young man had disappeared, a red glow which was growing all too steadily closer. Fear ruled their minds as they realized what it was and turned to run. For Soun, darkness was welcome, that rage filled blast had been a form of torture that had only been brought by the man he called master. For Genma, on the other hand, it was pain, pure and simple. He got to his feet on unsteady legs, shuffling into a stance again; it'd take more than that for him to be put down.

Akane had blinked back her shock right around the time that Ranma had downed her father the second time, the longer lasting of the two occurrences.

"YOU BASTARD, HOW DARE YOU HIT MY DAD?" She yelled as a crimson bonfire sprung up around her, solidifying long enough to coalesce into a war hammer of immense size. With the glowing grip held firmly in her hands, she ran forward with every ounce of rage driven speed she could muster. It would not be enough.

Ranma had just finished with the two men, if such a title were applicable to the worms, when he felt a tingle, his danger sense. He turned around to see Akane coming at him with a new toy; this mallet was larger than any of her previous manifestations. She had the heavy construct hefted above her head and was about to bring it down on him when he dropped into a crouch, his fist seeming to catch fire as his aura drained from the rest of his body and condensed around it. He smiled a demonic grin that would not be soon forgotten, and was just about to strike her when her aura disappeared, along with her mallet. She fell from her towering position to the ground, boneless.

"Huh?" He wondered aloud, attempting to leap out of the way of his father's attack a moment to late, and was clipped in the calf by the ki enhanced strike. The punch sent him spinning midair, careening toward a building. Were it not for the fact that he was a midair specialist, Ranma would've landed poorly. As it was he was righted himself and landed crouched against the wall's vertical surface. He cried out his attack as his, oyaji came into point blank range.

"Inferuno Renda!" Several orbs of ki shot from his once again flame covered hands. Genma's vitals took an unprecedented pounding. He too followed his emotionally unstable friend, and said friend's daughter into the land of dreaming. With the old man disposed of...

_thump_

...he could now concentrate on whatever had taken down his unwanted fiancée. Pivoting on his undamaged leg he found himself a bit of a distance from a figure completely coated in a dark cloak. Though obviously female, she was not of the right height or overall shape as any woman he knew, perhaps she was a new fiancée, challenger, or perhaps a bit of both, he didn't particularly care so much as he wanted to know what she was doing here, and why she helped him.

"Sleep mode" He vocalized, causing the MP3 unit to return to its dormant state, it'd need rest tonight. He had to admit, the stream of music had helped in the creative process, and he'd concentrated much better, and didn't give up much. He had been able to revise his moves quickly and efficiently, the appropriate attacks for each situation coming to mind when he needed them. He quickly shook his thoughts clear; he needed answers from this female before anything else.

"Who are you?" He put forth not so subtly. He'd never really been that good with beating around the bush, and it showed in his speech patterns. The cloaked figure could almost be heard frowning.

"You already know the answer to that question. The better question is: Who are you?" She responded, before bounding to a rooftop and dashing off, powerful strides carrying her quickly across the rooftops. Ranma made the leap to follow, but found nothing of the woman on the horizon. Searching with his ki senses brought nothing he didn't already know from looking, she was gone. He hung his head in defeat when he noticed something shining in the afternoon sun, it was a necklace. It was half of the yin/yang symbol, particularly the male of the two pieces. As he scanned over the small piece of jewelry he noticed that in place of the customary dot of the opposite color, there was a small character. Though he knew it was not Kanji, he felt that he knew what it meant. It was than that he noticed a note tagged to it.

* * *

Ranma,

Please take this necklace; though you don't know me anymore, you know that we have met before, and that I am your friend. I only hope that this might help you regain something of the memory you have lost. And you are right, it isn't written in Kanji. It can only be said that we will undoubtedly meet again, when you remember who I am, and who you are.

Until you remember,

A Friend

* * *

Ranma looked at the necklace in his hand, and again at the note. He knew the small thing was his, and found a certain familiarity with it. He sighed and slipped the jewelry around his neck, tucking it under his shirt. He'd hide the small thing, as it was undoubtedly worth a great deal of yen, if his appraisal was correct, just as with the music device, he'd hide it from Genma. He looked around at the ground below him and shook his head, his pigtail swinging slightly even as it swayed in the breeze that belonged to none but him.

"Fools, they thought they could dominate me, dominate a man undefeated by even the gods? I pity their ignorance." He said, as his eyes seemed to mature slightly for the moment, before he bounded off into the setting sun.

To Be Continued...

**Techniques Translation:**

**Ryuusei Ame:** Meteor Rain, an anger empowered extreme speed punch attack that utilizes ki-blasts that burst into the victim/recipient upon contact.


	4. Numb

**Dark Prayer**

By: XZero

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me.

Great thanx to Paul, who without, I'd not have been able to give to you my best.

**Chapter 4- Numb**

Only a week had passed since the fateful day that Ranma had been given his second "gift". The pendant seemed ancient, the ambient ki the martial artist felt from it was strangely familiar, almost scarily so. It felt so close to the energy he remembered using against Saffron. He could feel it twirling around in his passive aura, floating within it, connecting and building in it.

Today found him training in the Tendo dojo, a kata forming in his movements, echoing his thoughts closely. As he went the pattern began to get erratic, short bursts of angry red escaping and sending him through a blur of motion, ending quickly as he resumed less provoking thoughts. He pondered that battle with the Phoenix King for seemingly the millionth time, the situation striking him as familiar. Something about the power he felt, about the situation itself, facing unimaginable odds, and emerging victorious through sheer determination and skill. He shrugged that feeling off, pushing it back as he re-examined the battle. Best to let that train of thought reveal itself in time, he figured.

Saffron had pushed him to his limits and beyond, and had almost broken him. But Saffron had made a fatal mistake. The pigtailed fighter could only smile sourly every time he remembered that detail of the combat.

"Fatal, yeah, great one Re... Ranma," he grumbled, not catching the slip. Saffron had toyed with him initially, even Ranma remembered that clearly, and there in was his mistake. Playing with an opponent would give them time to prepare for you; they'd get a chance to adapt. It was a lesson Ranma now understood, and realize that continuing to do so against his opponents would cause him to fall similarly.

Newer, more intense training had become necessary, his kata were maintained at top speed, forcing him to learn greater accuracy and increase his endurance. Weighting his clothing until it could bear no more weight to increase his strength and endurance even further, having the side effect of greater speed. His training was brutal, and throughout it the only ones to realize it were the ones stuck in the background, his only solace came from a homemaker and a mercenary. He struggled for his increasing strengths, his focus had relied on his skill, until realizing that every major battle he'd fought included some special aspect, Saffron had his flames and regenerative capabilities, while Herb had his immense ki stores.

Kirin had incredible speed and accuracy, Ryouga; his long lasting rival had endurance and strength to rival the kami. Mousse could produce and use any weapon he found, and improvised ones as well. When he had realized that he began devising these methods, and now his bracers weighed almost as much as Ryouga's umbrella, something not even Akane with her guerilla strength could wield, even with two hands. He fought constantly to maintain the intensity he'd reached. To keep others from noticing, he'd increase his weight load and strain to keep him fast enough to dodge Ryouga's blows which would leave him just about where the other's would assume he was.

He snapped back to reality as he misjudged a rebound due to lack of concentration, his reminiscing ended by a harsh trip to the floor. He stood wearily from this, pulling power back into his body, feeling his energies return as he gathered his energy and began again. He'd master this, fear of losing control driving him forward with his patented determination. He went on despite his pain because pain was a friend that Ranma was used too. Since receiving his first gift he had stepped up his training, increasing the weight and strain on his ki, hoping to control this new power growing within, or rather, opening to his awareness, as if it had always been there, but only recently available.

Only a few days had passed, but Ranma felt himself begin to reign in the amazing power that he'd found in the music. It was a slow process nonetheless, but he would not fail. The small part of his mind left to wonder about such things tried to figure out where his amazing new abilities were coming from. He shuddered as one possibility popped to mind. Surely it wasn't the excess power that was caused by the neko-ken. He quickly discarded that dark thought.

He felt that this power was older, and looking back, he could remember using it, even before the Saffron incident, as far back as when he was a child, though not many memories remained of that time. A good deal of his past had been locked away, part of the dark legacy of the cat fist.

He stopped at the end of a particularly difficult kata and sat down, dripping sweat from his long workout. He began to sift through the past, images of fighting, running, and anger. He could see all the things that he'd done 'in the name of the art' and he felt sick at what he saw. He needed to end this, and it would end soon, he swore it to himself silently. Feeling the thought process come to a close he lifted his eyelids and noticed the brilliant silver glow surrounding him. He wanted to feel the sun, to let his muscles enjoy its warmth instead of the strain he had been placing them under. Hefting his incredibly heavy shirt over his shoulder, he headed towards the door.

The sun had just begun its blazing journey across this day's sky and with it, the eldest Tendo girl had risen stepping out into the cool air of the morning. He found himself paralyzed watching the eldest daughter with a strange look in his eye. Kasumi, why haven't I noticed before, she was such a pure and simple seeming woman, and indeed she was a woman, disguised as it was by her modest clothing and tidy apron. He could do nothing but marvel at something he had previously overlooked, maybe it was an epiphany, maybe he'd grown up a little, he didn't know, and neither does the author.

* * *

Kasumi was by nature an early riser; she had trained herself to be. She needed to be, for if she was to do all the chores around the house, except for those that Ranma had undertaken some months ago, than she would need very greatly the time and quiet of the morning to get the majority of the housework done, to give her ample time to construct dinner. Currently she was hanging the wash that she'd done the night before, particularly a load of sheets. The breeze was getting steadily stronger, and the hazy fog that clung to the ground was not a good indicator for it clearing up any time soon.

A sudden and strong gust of wind pulled the ribbon she used to tie her ponytail free, tearing the sheet in her hands away from her as she instinctively raised her hands to grasp at the string. She immediately began to chase after the sheet, hoping to keep it from getting dirty again. The fog was detrimental to this cause, however, and just as soon as she was chasing the sheet, she wished dearly that she'd not. The eldest Tendo daughter felt her foot collide with something, and than felt herself tumble forward, she prepared herself for the assuredly painful collision with the ground, screwing her eyes shut.

The pain never came; instead she felt the warmth of someone else's body. Not opening her eyes she reached up toward her savior and felt around for their face. Her hands danced across a flat chest that was bare, Male, well defined... her hands went upward, ...light amounts of hair on the chin and face She screamed out as she felt the rush of air and the lack of gravity momentarily, still in the arms of her rescuer. Finally her hands found what she had been looking for, ...a pigtail? Her mind whirled and ground to a halt as she opened her eyes quickly as she looked into the soulful blue-grays of her handsome hero,

"Ranma?" She questioned softly, eyes widening as she made the connection, and felt gravity reapply.

Ranma hadn't realized what he was doing until he had reached the edge of the koi pond and had Kasumi lifted into his arms, she'd been about to hit her head really hard, but he'd fixed that, sliding beneath her fall with more speed than even he realized he bounded upward, halting his forward momentum with flair only the heir to the Anything Goes could manage. He had felt her hand roaming over his chest and to his face, but at the end he looked down into Kasumi's opening eyes and smiled, knowing he'd done well. "Ranma?" He nodded slightly as they neared the ground, and with ease born of practice, concentrated his energy and slowed as he was touching down, that's when he heard the other scream, and it was indeed one that pissed him off.

* * *

Akane had risen this early for her morning jog, something she'd done for the last several years. Each morning she'd dress in some sweat clothes and go out, jogging for 2 miles and return. She'd just finished dressing and was closing her bedroom door when she heard her eldest sister scream out in fear, abandoning reason, which she seemed to be infamous for doing, she dashed for the door, leaping down the stairs, and skidding to a halt at the door to the backyard when she stopped and saw something horrifying, Ranma was up in the air, holding Kasumi to him, her hair loose and flapping in the cool wind. Rage built within her, that pervert must have grabbed Kasumi! Akane's strange mindset allowed her to come to the odd conclusion that he had grabbed Kasumi in an attempt to take advantage of her and in her struggles her hair came undone, she must have screamed because she wanted her sister to save her, because she knew that her younger sister was the best martial artist around.

"Ranma no Baka!" She yelled as she hefted a war hammer and charged the young fighter, heedless of the fact that Kasumi was cradled in his arms. She brought the hammer to bear and started with the down stroke, this would teach the baka hentai.

"Shikyo Hana!" Ranma flared in a blue corona of power that encased him and his passenger. Akane's mallet construct had only exploded back at her from her attempt to brain the Saotome heir, protected by his defensive aura. His features twisted into a snarl that seemed so unlike him in Kasumi's opinion as she felt herself being set down from the comfort of his solid warm embrace.

"Fool!" Ranma raged, setting Kasumi gently down, making sure she could stand on her own before returning his attention to the tomboy. Ranma's eyes narrowed, a snarl indicating the rage which was becoming visible on his features.

"You disgusting whelp, you'd put your own sister in danger to wrongfully attack me?" Everyone peered out their windows, awakened by the explosion and nightmarish feeling emanating from the enraged Ranma. Their fears were solidified as a corona of blue fire radiated from a shadowed form whom even Nabiki, untrained as she was, could tell to be Ranma standing on the lawn. They could hear the crackle of the energy racing all around him, arcing off of him to strike the ground as lightning, not at all like his usual spread aura. This aura bloomed upward like a bonfire, swirling in deadly beauty which threatening to engulf them all. For a minute Nabiki considered grabbing a fire extinguisher, but noticed the blue ki-flames didn't seem to be consuming him, rather that it was him. Soun and Genma stared out, both afraid to do anything and afraid to not do something. They decided, in a moment only to be described as an epiphany, to let it play out as it would. After all, how would two aging martial artists who hid from a gnome stand against a walking bonfire of ki-flame?

"If you wish a fight with someone worthy of your skill, go pick a fight with kitten." He smirked and turned away from Ms. Martial Artist, to Kasumi, who had lost her footing on the slick grass as she backed away from what she thought, would be another fight.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, the fire around him receding into his form. Kasumi could only nod dumbly as he helped her up, knowing that once again this young man had managed to break her mask with his displays of skill.

Akane twitched in anger, her rage had built immensely, not only was the jerk showing off, but he had done the unspeakable. He'd ignored her, treated her as if she weren't worth his time, and was flirting with her sister, paying attention to someone else.

I'll show that jerk not to take me lightly. She swore internally as she growled and charged him again, hefting a similar war hammer to the one before. She aimed her weapon to strike toward Ranma's head, since when had he been able to dodge her before anyways? She mused, as the judgment of heaven was brought downward.

The pigtailed fighter felt the energy buildup, the blue fire sprung to life once more. He turned his head so that he was facing her.

"If you feel you wish to die, than prepare yourself for hell." His aura suddenly pulled back into his form. With a neutral expression, he called out.

"Munashii Zenkai".

The human eye can only track so fast. No one noticed him move, no one was strong enough to follow him. Akane's blind charge continued until she suddenly stopped just inches from striking Kasumi with her two-handed swing. Ranma appeared near the house, his back turned to the situation, his undershirt reduced to small strips of cloth and his pants in tatters, barely letting him retain his modesty, and managing to leave only his necklace unscathed.

"Three...two...one." The Anything Goes heir stated calmly. Upon the count of one Akane flew backward, and stopped in the air, her body contorting in odd positions as she was pummeled by what seemed to be a ghost. Just as quickly as the brutal phantom started its assault, the entire thing ended with Akane lying in a heap of ruined clothing, and a humiliating number of bruises that spelled out a large variety of embarrassing things about the youngest Tendo.

The idiot's two were about to start on their rants but couldn't find the words, they couldn't muster themselves to argue against the obvious, even they could learn, and today they indeed learned that Ranma could no longer be manipulated.

Nabiki learned this same lessen and to herself thought Thank goodness Ranma, I never thought you'd grow up enough and get over those silly ideas your father put into you. She knew that she'd alienated the pigtailed man, but even more she knew that she'd done something that she'd be proud of, she helped Ranma to escape his prison of false honor, she'd shone him the realities of the world and now he'd deal with it in his own way.

Kasumi stared at the sight before, She'd known of Akane's violent tendencies, just never thought that she'd let her anger allow her to be so blinded that she'd hurt her family or an innocent bystander. She was ashamed that she'd allowed this to go on, and horrendously angry at her father who'd never done a thing as Akane's sensei to correct this mistake. What about Ranma finally fighting back? No one here is used to a warrior, who has sworn to protect. No longer to be compared to a Martial Artist who learns only to improve their skills. She thought solemnly to herself as she watched the goings on.

The martial artist who was known as 'god slayer' to the Amazons, Musk, and Phoenix people alike stood tall, his angry expression visible and plain, He looked around letting himself relax, redoubling the grasp of his internal energies after that instant, before turning to Kasumi.

"Kasumi, go get my mother, and take Nabiki with you, things are about to get messy." He stated simply as he adjusted the belt her wore, and removed his undershirt entirely, not that pulling the ribbons of fabric off of him was any mean feat. Next he tossed the heavy tunic toward the compound wall, a small crater forming in the dirt from its landing. He just turned around calmly, and waited for the expected disaster, not giving any indication of what he'd meant.

Kasumi, nodded simply, trusting enough in the pigtailed guardian to follow his instructions without question. She and ran into the house, amazingly quickly despite her lack of training.

"Nabiki, please come with me, we need to go get Aunty." She called out as she put on her shoes and removed her apron. Nabiki was downstairs quickly, moving with a speed she'd never displayed before. The two sisters rushed out of the house and out of the gate, quickly heading toward the house in Nerima that Nodoka had bought, afraid that wasting any time would cause something bad to happen.

Nodoka Saotome had always found joy in gardening, and spent at least an hour in her garden every day in the mornings, before she headed out to do whatever it was she needed to do. She was currently pulling the weeds that had sprouted in her roses (Not sure if anyone can really afford to let these grow in Japan considering the cost of land) at least until she heard the front gate opening. She stood and brushed the dirt from her work pants, kimonos weren't suited for the labor involved with her gardening, finished with this she went around front to the front door, where she saw the two elder Tendo sisters knocking frantically.

"Can I help you dears?" she asked, wondering why they would come. Nabiki and Kasumi whirled around, and in short order came to tell Nodoka what was going on at the Tendo house.

"No... It couldn't be, then, this changes things entirely, and we must hurry. If he's used the Void Armageddon, then there is no time to spare." She said sagely, but the other two women could not understand what connection Ranma's mother had with his behavior as of late. Worry was desperately obvious in her features. Kasumi could not help but to sadly nod her head.

"Yes aunty, but what does this have to do with Ranma's warning, or that he is acting strangely?" Still wondering why this was going on.

Nodoka didn't answer; she just rushed into her home, and upstairs.

"What was that all about?" Nabiki wondered aloud, walking into the house to wait for the older woman to return. She looked around the living room area of the home, it was nicely, however sparse, furnished. Kasumi, in the meanwhile, was doing the same, noticing that several things in the room were odd, such as a pair of bracers and a katana that were displayed on a mantle above what appeared to be several musical instruments. Then something that she deemed as strange occurred to her, these instruments were not only mostly western, but they and the bracers and blade all shared a common feature, the same yang symbol on all of them could be found on Ranma's new necklace. But he'd said that he had found it, unconvincingly of course, but all the same that is what he'd said.

"Come on girls, we'd better go." She collected the bracers and sword from the wall, and ran out the door, followed by Nabiki, and then Kasumi, who closed the door behind her. How could this be happening, grandfather couldn't have been right about Ranma, could he? No, it's just a legend and it has nothing to do with my son. But if it is true, will I be able to say goodbye to my little boy again? But her thoughts were drowned out as they saw the Tendo Dojo in the distance, sounds of combat emanating from the property, and...

...then the explosion.

* * *

_Earlier_

Ranma watched as Kasumi and Nabiki left, and felt as the others were arriving.

"Grand Finale" He spoke, and the music started up, this time with another song by the American band, Linkin Park. He felt let go of his restraints once more. Feeling the energy surround him, he looked towards the usual suspects as they approached?

"Saotome prepare to die!" Pig-boy and Duck-boy

"Airen, time to be proper groom." Shampoo

"Ranma, honey, you better start acting like a husband should." Ugh...Ukyo

"Time to go back to China Son-in-law." The old ghoul

"Ranma, m'boy, how about you comfort an old man?" The old freak

"Die foul sorcerer Kuno

"Ranma darling, it is time you got rid of these base court hussies and declared your love for me." Psycho-bitch

The two masters of the anything-goes disappeared from his senses, hiding most likely, Ranma thought, he knew they'd show up once they thought he was off guard, it was without doubt.

He was sure that this collection of freaks, weirdoes, and all around martial artists were the only ones needed for the final act.

"You have all long wanted me for your own devices, defeat me now and I'll grant your wish." Ranma looked each of them with years of emotions finally released.

"This shall now be the final act, those who are defeated will never trouble me again, for I have no desire for any of your deaths, and that is assuredly the outcome of persisting in this fruitless endeavor." This was beginning to scare the fiancées; Ranma would never hurt them, would he? No, he was just kidding about that part, right? They were unsure, but they would beat him, if it meant that'd make him theirs...

This entire scene was taken in by the cloaked woman, her only feature visible the broad smile on her lips, Finally, he's done it, unlocked the final key. Soon Reiko, soon we'll be together again, and I won't be alone ever again.

TBC...

**Techniques Translation:**

**Shikyo Hana**: While the name resembles the move by Iori Yagami from SNK's King of Fighters, this move is completely different, the user summons up their battle aura and focuses it into an attack, basically it is an aura flare, if you want a mental picture, think about the power up effect DBZ characters have on the ground, that's basically what it does, push things away very forcefully, it also has the effect that a ki blast has on other things charged with ki. Anyway, it means Death Blossom

**Munashii Zenkai**: This move is basically the ultimate Amaguriken style move, while the Amaguriken involves just punches, this floods the user's body with ki, making them effectively move entirely at Amaguriken speeds, of course, this increases in difficulty and speed the more energy one puts into it.

I'd like to preemptively address the marks left on Akane by Ranma, in the beginning of the series he does the same to Kuno with one touch, which Kuno never felt. So imagine a year after he faces off against and kills a god, it isn't hard to imagine him doing unholy amounts of damage, or instead leaving her unconscious with her body covered in insults with moderate damage.


	5. The Demon Within

"You have all long wanted me for your own devices, defeat me now and I'll grant your wish." Ranma announced in a grave tone. He settled into a fighting stance, not of the school they were all so familiar with, his eyes narrowed.

"This shall now begin, the final act of this life," he smirked, taunting them to move. "I have no desire for any of your deaths, but if you insist on being fools, I will put you in your place."

There was death in those words, uncertainty that had once been there was gone. A dark gleam in his eye gave a moment's pause to the mass of fools. This was beginning to scare the fiancées; Ranma would never hurt them, would he?

No, he was just kidding about that part, they decided. No matter how unsure they were, they would beat him, if it meant that'd make him theirs...

**Dark Prayer**

By: XZero and Paul

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2.

**Chapter 5 - The Demon Within**

Rage, rage was what he felt. It was common since Saffron, but before that, all he had was his "father" to focus his hate towards. He hated the people around him, more than any realized. He wanted them dead; he wanted them to suffer for the pain they inflicted upon him, to pay for what they had done. Ranma looked out on the collected fighters, thinly veiled disgust clear to those who knew him. He didn't want to keep his rage in check anymore; he didn't want to let them get away with feeling no pain. It was time for them to suffer as he had! He closed his eyes again and concentrated on the energy lurking deep within him.

"Die Saotome!" Cried the voices of the men, a word relinquished with great disdain, while the females screeched incoherently about their love for the pigtailed warrior. He stopped thinking of himself as a simple Martial Artist after Saffron, stopped being one who learned the art for no other reason than to improve. He now he felt the dark urges as well, the battle lust. He knew fighting for those cared for would stain his hands with more blood, as he was now. Go figure, I never thought this day would come, but now it's time to return the favor they gave me over the years. His eyes hardened and he waited for the men, slowly approaching him. Well slow to him, he heard a voice in the back of his mind, a shadow from years ago.

_Flashback_

"My son, there may come a time when you have no other choice but to end a life to save the lives of others, and when that day comes, you must strike decisively and quickly, there is no room for regret in the warrior's path." The shadow recited from some old tale he had heard at some point.

"What's the difference Pops?" a semi-interested chibi-ranma asked.

"A warrior must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals, and realize that taking a life may be required. A modern martial artist should never know the weight that one has to carry after taking a life, or the responsibility that power holds. It is what you are required to be my son; no one else can carry the burden you can." And from there the memory faded.

_End Flashback_

* * *

"It's time," he whispered, snapping his eyes open and staring at the beast known as the Nerima Wrecking Crew to some. Back into this world, he ducked a barrage of ki-charged bandanas, only to leap into the air to avoid the chains that the myopic hidden weapons master had thrown and twist out of the way of a series of throwing spatulas. He landed gracefully only to come face to face with Shampoo who had hoped to take advantage of the throwing weapons and attack him while distracted. Her efforts were rewarded with a hard kick to the right knee. An audible pop was heard, as Shampoo fell, trying hard not to cry out. Ranma sneered at the downed fighter, looking like he would attack again, when he leapt away from a gas grenade and flour bomb, leaving the mace wielder to suffer their effects.

Kodachi He growled and cursed himself for being careless, swiftly reaching the apex of his jump. The fact that these fools thought the same thing would keep on working. He growled in disgust, ready to end something he should have long ago. He felt the disgust wash over him, disgust at himself for letting this go on.

"No more games!" He screamed loudly, as his aura sprung back into view, wreathed around him like the corona around the sun.

"Shinsei Honoo!"

His aura exploded outward, sending waves of power out amongst the teenage fighters, each cringing back momentarily under the frightening image that was Ranma. This was what the God of Phoenix Mountain had faced, a warrior holding nothing back. This is what each feared secretly they themselves would face.

Ukyo felt her heart stop at the sight of her friend. The fire in his eyes, and the rage pouring off him were enough to bring her to her knees. Shocked out of the battle craze she had arrived in, she realized that she had let herself be caught up in things, that she was not the friend she claimed to be. She shuddered at the thought of the things she had done, of how she had become like the others, like her father...

No, I can't; I won't live like this! I am his friend, I am, I promised him… With that she dropped her battle spatula to the ground, the clatter from the weapon could be heard all around but due to the situation going on around her, she was ignored by all but one.

In the shadows she watched it all unfold, as she had for the last eighteen years. Finally a chance

Ryouga was the first to regain his "backbone," if one could call it that, and charged. He would see this end; his enemy would finally die for all that he had done. He watched as his hated foe dodged his first punch, only to be hit with a punch just beneath the ribs. Even the breaking point training didn't hurt like this. What was going on? He fell back, letting lose with a barrage of charged bandana's that Ranma destroyed with his battle aura, or in Ryouga's mind ran from the coward he was. He leapt towards Ranma again, only this time the warrior met him in midair, where fist met fist. Ryouga pouring all his anger and hatred into his fists, speed was what he needed now.

This Ranma was unlike any he had fought before, and try as he might; this Ranma was beating him, with a brutal ease. Ranma's speed was uncanny, his strength, too was nothing to laugh at. Just what was happening to him? This wasn't the fighter he had hunted for so long. No matter, he would kill him either way.

He was quickly losing in to his rage and he realized that, and finally as Ranma sent him flying back toward the ground, having used him as a spring board to gain more height, he went into that rage, using it to give him the strength he was sorely lacking right now. He refused to end it there.

"For all the things you've done Ranma, you'll pay!" The sometimes-pig, cried angrily at the turnout of the first clash. His thoughts turned dark, the sea of depression inside him swelled as memories of defeat returned to him, Akane's smile, the one he wished for immensely, being given to Ranma, and never to him (A/N: This is Ryouga's interpretation of the world), the rain, the curse, all of it, it was all Ranma's fault. With the depression and hatred, Ryouga's aura exploded by triple any he'd ever made.

"Time to die! Ascension of the Damned!"

A pillar of swirling black and green energy tore up the ground around him, and than upward. The huge energy blast caught Ranma with its sheer size and his inability to dodge.

Larger than any Ultimate Ki blast he had thrown before, Ryouga slumped down, completely spent. He watched as the projectile careened towards his rival, when his eyes shot open. Ranma wasn't trying to dodge; he was gathering energy from everything around them. Not even he had learned how to control the power of nature yet. He watched as the new warrior raised his hands towards the sphere and smiled.

"And the lord said, let there be light," he smirked.

"Fukyuu Eiyuu" He screamed, launching the condensed blast of ki at the titanic projectile.

The blasts collided, and detonated. Everyone covered their eyes as the blinding light burned their retina. By the time Ryouga had regained his vision Ranma was gone. Ranma appeared a heartbeat later with a sadistic smile plastered across his face,

"Not very nice, you could hurt someone." Ranma said, wagging a finger at the speechless berserker.

"You may have thought you have had the power advantage Ryouga, but now it's time to show you your place."

Ryouga thought he understood pain, thought he had endured so much over his lifetime, but the beating he was now receiving was nothing compared to that. Ranma had already broken an arm, and was blasting away at his midsection. His ribs had cracked in their first exchange, making breathing incredibly hard. Right now he would settle for hard breathing compared to having the air forced out with each punch. Ranma then grabbed him over his head, and slammed him down across the knee. He fell to the ground, stunned at the power he felt coming from Ranma, but it was not the end. Ranma, wanting him to suffer, lifted his broken body and decided the mouth needed reworking. He let him fall free for a moment, long enough catch him in the jaw. Ryouga wanted to cry at the injustice of it all, how the hell was Ranma this strong?

Each bone rattling punch caused his body to shudder. He didn't know, even with his endurance, if it would be possible to survive much more of a beating. Strike after strike came, but the third set of them a new friend of Ranma's had made an appearance. Black and blue flame covered his fists as he launched into another combo. As the final hit came, a right uppercut that caught the bandana-clad fighter just beneath his shattered ribs, they stared at the blazing with blue flame.

The final strike sent the fanged martial artist spiraling to the ground, beaten into a bloody pulp. Ranma suddenly felt something brush against his aura. A meaty thud followed swiftly by a resounding clang of metal rang out in the morning as a bonbori struck the ground. Bad move Amazon he thought turning to face Shampoo.

Shampoo had barely managed to escape the paralysis gas and explosive batter, an agonizing experience with the injury inflicted by her "Airen". She could not believe the battle between pig-boy and her Airen; he had not been as vicious with the Phoenix God as he was right now. Damn male, he will be brought to heal her illusions of Ranma being shattered with each punch. She waited until the fool pig had fallen to make her move.

Now she cursed her stupidity at not guarding her legs. Her speed halved by her "Airen" breaking her knee, she thought she had him, launching her bonbori at him. He didn't seem aware of it at all, the perfect opportunity. When his aura set the weapon to the ground like a useless piece of metal, she knew she was in trouble. She watched her Airen turn, and cringed at the smile.

"Time to pay, Amazon." He growled with feral menace permeating his voice.

She was unprepared, when the fist was buried to mid forearm in her stomach. She bent over, not even her Great-grandmother hit that hard, gasping for air, coughing up blood. Ranma wasn't done, though; he lifted her into the air by her neck, and smiled as he pulled his hand back. Blue and black fire still encased them, Blue and black fire from the pits of hell.

She watched as Ranma brought the fist forward. It was the last thing she would see this day.

Ranma enjoyed beating the over amorous Amazon. He enjoyed inflicting pain against them as they had done him. He dropped the Amazon's motionless corpse to the ground. She was still alive; he wasn't that merciful to grant them liberty through death. They had a price to pay to him after all...

"Two fools down, anyone want to just give up now, and save us all the trouble?" He asked, smirking, and knowing that none would take his offer. It was alright by him after all, they didn't deserve any mercy in his mind.

* * *

Kuno, having seen the foul villain's latest works of black magic, called out a fierce battle cry, charging the pigtailed demon, viciously stabbing forward with his greatest technique.

"Strike! Strike! Strike!" It was meaningless to the new warrior. He flowed with the attack, the gusts of wind meaning nothing to him. Kuno screamed, not letting up, even as the coward came to a stop.

"Shakespeare, this one is for you." Ranma stated with a chuckle and smirk. He grabbed the bokken and let lose with the blue-black flame. Kuno screamed in pain as blue and black tendrils of energy invaded his body.

"You want to see dark powers, let me show you a bit of what I am capable of!" Kuno's screams before he passed out were by far the worst so far.

Ranma smirked as the next fighter, Mousse, came forward. Deciding the time for mercy was over; he grabbed Mouse and poured black fire into him. He cried out in pain, the foreign energy more than anyone could take. He lifted Mousse and turned around just in time to catch Mousse across the face with a reverse crescent kick, why not show off on such a weak fool. He was not fighting an equal, why should he show off. He grabbed the blind fighter one more time slapping him a couple times so that he was awake.

"I want you to see this, because you will see it only once." Ranma smirked and then with a cry of the pigtailed man's attack he was laid to waste the worthless fool with an assault of vicious high speed punches. Letting Mousse drop he cringed as a hateful laughter filled the air.

Kodachi laughed insanely, "Hohoho, finally those peasants are defeated, come Ranma-sama, let us run away together." She screeched as she dove forward, a maniacal gleam in her eyes.

"Not a chance, you psychotic bitch." He said calmly, gathering dark fire into his hands, and with renewed power he pressed forward again. Needless to say, after he was done Kodachi would never be doing Gymnastics again.

Cologne lost balance on her staff and landed roughly on the floor, Happi sprawled next to her.

"I... I just barely saw him" They both muttered as one. The group of super powerful martial artists had been devastated, each and every one. They had held the advantage of numbers, not that they were intelligent enough to use it, but each still had been decimated by a single fighter. They had all fallen, all except a certain chef, who now looked up from her turmoil to gaze upon the warrior who stood before her.

"R-Ranchan?" Ukyo ventured, wondering why she had been spared the devastating attack. Ukyo couldn't find the words, she left speechless, at least, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. The tomboyish okonomiyaki chef looked up with a touch of fear in her eyes, and saw a smiling Ranma looking down at her.

"Don't worry Ucchan, things will be okay in the end, I promise. I will take all the pain away." The young man stated before seemingly groping her chest, she had thoughts to get angry, but just as she registered herself being felt up by the pigtailed man, she lost coherency as she too entered the land of dreams.

The dark power coming from Ranma was too much for them to stand by. Both Cologne and Happi charged, knowing they had to stop him before he decided to finish the job. He smirked, pouring more energy. He dropped Ukyo, just before giving her the release of death, and moved to match the old crones, taking a speed inherent stance. His aura flashed brightly for a moment, and in that instant he ran forward at full speed. They never knew what hit them, as he sent them into oblivion as well. He thought of giving them the release, but in truth, they were not ready. Why should they be given such a gift? He went back to Ukyo, his eyes sad, but ready to give her a release from the pain. He stopped when the shadow appeared beside him, a soft hand on his exposed shoulder.

"It's enough Reiko," she said in a soft voice, tenderly pleading her case with moist eyes locked on his. "You have let them feel your pain, don't kill them."

"Kijin Raishu Dan!" His danger sense and hearing saved the day for an innocent bystander. He gently pushed the redheaded mystery woman away as the vacuum blade slid past his extended left arm, leaving a deep gash in his arm and tearing a rut in the ground. The aquatransexual warrior spun away from the attack, pulling his arm away quickly enough to keep it. He growled as a feral and raging energy fueled him. He took hold of that power and poured into his palm, and he felt the energy boil. How dare his father! No, not your father! Just some greedy man who wanted to use you. A part of him said to himself. 

The shadowy woman cursed, rolling backward as the air distortion caused a tiny cloud of Ranma's blood to spray the air. She felt the energy come forth for his next attack. She knew she had been taking a risk, but the guards had to be slipped soon, if things were to change. There had to be a way to stop this.

As he finished his spin he pushed his hand forward, an angry red ball of energy rocketing forth from his outstretched palm. So powerful was the attack that he reached forward and held his other arm at the wrist, adding what support the injury appendage could to the stability.

"Mouretsu Reikon!" He cried out, the beach ball sized blast flying an arrow's path to the boy's "father" detonating with a bomb's fury, leveling the majority of the house.

Soun had charged before the Violent Soul could explode against his rotund compatriot and escaped the brunt of the attack. He though was caught in the aftershock, being launch toward his quarry by the shockwave. Just as well, he thought to himself, and lined his body to meet the pigtailed one head on. He threw a devastating forward punch as he landed right before his would be son-in-law, continuing his forward momentum to add strength to muscles disused for so long. He was sure this would be his day; he'd defeat the boy and show him the error of his ways, only to be put down faster than Akane had the other day. He growled, kicking the man's ribs in. So many unworthy fools around him; could none of them even bother to give him a real challenge?

"Damn." She whispered in awe, as she witnessed the brutal beating of the weeping man.

"Calm down Reiko," the shadow yelled. He turned to face her, and she leapt toward him again. For the first time his blue eyes went soft.

"What did you call me?" Ranma asked. He looked around in horror at the downed bodies. Had he done all of this?

"Damn it." she cursed. "I should have been more careful."

She breathed a sigh when he didn't push her any farther. He seemed more entranced by the carnage his unlocked temper had caused. I wish it wasn't necessary, but he has to see…he has to understand how far he has left to go She watched him; silently wishing that he would be alright, the rage had subsided for her, however slightly.

Can I just let them die like this, I have my freedom, do I need to kill them as well? His mind questioned quickly. No! They may have brought me pain, but without giving them the chance to make amends I am nothing but a murderer. I am no better than my father. He decided, and concentrated hard.

"Hitokage no Aisu!" His cold aura exploded outward from his body, the wall of cold chi battling hard for dominance as the sweat that dripped from his brow froze and crystallized. Everything that had been left burning by his expression of pure rage was misting as the air cooled, and continued to cool, and finally froze bits of moisture in the air, causing snow to fall around the ruins of the Tendo house, putting out the fires.

The elder Tendo daughters and Nodoka reached the dojo shortly after the explosion had subsided. When they reached the remainder of the gate they looked in, and saw Ranma, standing amidst a frozen waste. The entire house hand very nearly been leveled, along with the majority of the dojo, the only things left untouched by the disaster was the koi pond, and even there the top of water was frozen solid. 

"The end." Stated the pigtailed youth, turning to them. Nabiki almost lost her footing then, from the look in his eyes. Before her stood not a boy of near eighteen years, before her stood a time wearied warrior. He turned to them and Nabiki almost lost her footing. Standing before them was no boy of near 18, no; this was a young man who looked to have weathered a storm of incredible intensity. Gone was the soft innocence in his eyes, replaced by an intensity that they had only seen during his battles, this was the Ranma that had gained her respect and love, the man whose hard gaze brooked no argument. His hair was streaked with traces of silver, which shone in the morning sun, his pants were mere strips of cloth, and shirt was non-existent, the women noted.

The new look seemed to suit him more than any could ever say. It in fact seemed as if it had been there the entire time, waiting to be seen by others.

Ranma had finished, he had fulfilled both his self-appointed duties, freedom, and it was now his, along with the preservation of life. He turned around to the gate to see his mother standing there with a bundle in her arms, but confusingly, his keen perception noticed the bundle that carried her sword on her back. He smiled softly to the three women of importance in his life.

His danger sense was still going. What was going on? He knew it wasn't the woman who had appeared before, he knew he could trust her, but something was still not right. Twisting out of the way of a projectile, he felt Taro; he knew that ki pattern anywhere, especially with the warped aura he gave off when in his cursed form. This would need to be quick to prevent him from noticing the women, if he did, things would get ugly.

"Shinkou Ken!" He stated as he completed the technique, Pantyhose's motion stunned, the aura expanded and formed a cloud of pinpoint ki spheres.

Taro didn't understand it, he shouldn't have been able to sense him, but he did. The pigtailed asshole (in his opinion anyhow) had opened up with a pretty strong kick, he'd realized this when he felt the reeling and pain generally associated with a fight with the annoying femboy. He landed shakily but despite this still charged his foe, that is, until he felt the sting of hundreds of small needles.

"Tenshi Shouten" He heard his enemy say as his aura expanded violently, shoving him back, Damn you femboy, just die! Which of course came out a bit more like this.

"MOO!" Taro shouted, feeling the intense anger, and whether admitted or not, depression, at all the times he had been defeated in his quest to change his name. He'd seen the process enough times, and had finally mastered it, wasn't hard given how pathetic his existence was, and now it would be unleashed. Damn you Ranma! Shi Shi Hokodan! Again due to the translation between human thought, and yeti/cow language his words were warped into

"MOO-OOO-MOOOOO!" He cried out, pouring his emotions into his attack, he'd never expect this one, Taro thought to himself.

Taro thought wrong, Ranma's aura flare receded quickly after it's initial purpose, because there he stood, the silver lining to his hair increased, his eyes were silver as well, a by-product of flooding his entire body with energy.

"Time's up Taro, time to lose." Ranma ran forward into the ki blast, dropping into a slide he fired a quick flare from his hands as he went, sending the depression and anger based move careening into the sky to dissipate safely. Out of the slide the pigtailed warrior flipped forward, his fists glowed red/silver as they were brought to bear against Taro's hide.

"Ryuusei Ame!" He whispered, pouring punch after punch into his foe, tearing through the toughness of the Minotaur. With each explosion, which had changed from the usual rage red, to a serene silver, taking just and instant to gather strength, Ranma thrust his arm up into Pantyhose's exposed undercarriage, propelling Taro into the air.

"Kyuukyoku Keibatsu!" Were the last words Taro heard that day, or for roughly a week, for that matter, because then, while the monster man was midair and stunned, Ranma leapt to follow, bringing a midair tackle with him, holding tightly and using his upward inertia to spin and throw the beast to the ground again. All was ended when the neo-silver eyed man landed atop his foe, an over handed and unnamed blast of energy pounded into Taro's chest. The artistic brutality was frighteningly beautiful, and left them stunned as they listened to his following speech.

"This is the end for Ranma Saotome, he is dead, fallen amongst those he once called friend, and now, I am free." The young man stated softly as he looked in the direction of his only true family. The women cringed as he fell to the ground hard, his hair losing the silver highlighting, now maintaining only the very light hints of them he had, eyes faded back into the grey-blue others were used to. He was falling, but did not die as he expected. He knew that he should have, he'd expended so much ki today that he should have died, he should be weak as a kitten, instead he just felt tired, and so he slept.

The cloaked figure was the first to jump and catch him and ease him to the ground. She crouched beside the god slayer; a gentle hand stroked his cheek gently, lovingly. "Rest now Reiko, soon you will be all better. Soon, I promise."

She calmly removed the cloak and wrapped it around the sleeping fighter. With the cloak gone she is revealed to be an immensely beautiful woman of roughly 20. Long red hair flowed down her back like a mane of fire, she wasn't particularly muscled but one could tell from the way she stood that she was a seasoned fighter of incredible power.

Her form seemed to scream power and grace, not terribly different from Ranma's. Nabiki looked the redhead over, and noted the silver silk tunic and black stitching hiding a bust that, while the same size as Ranma's female form, looked smaller on her slightly larger and mature frame. The loose black pants she wore tied at apparently the same place as Ranma's as well, the ankles and waist. She wore the same slippers that the pigtailed young man wore as well. She looked out to the three women moving toward her and Ranma,

"Hello, I'm Ranko Metsuretsu." Her disarming smile and polite disposition caught the Tendo girls off guard but was welcomed by Ranma's mother, whose mind swam with pride over her son, and slight wonderment at the last name of the girl. It felt familiar, but she could not grasp why.

Nabiki looked this new girl over again and again; she was a mystery that she had to figure out. Who is she? Why does she dress and look like Ranma? She pushed that thought aside to deal with later.

"What do you want with Ranma?" She asked as she looked over to the prone form of her pseudo-brother, assessing his condition with an ease born of practice. He's just tired, doesn't look like there'll be any real problems. But he'll need to have his arm looked after. her analysis completed quickly and efficiently, the skills she was less than proud of still held some use.

"More than you could imagine," Ranko smiled looking at the silent form of Reiko. He couldn't remember his past, but soon he would. Soon all would be right with the former and new warrior.

Kasumi could only mutter to herself about poor Ranma-kun, he wasn't hurt, she could tell from looking at the way her breathed.

"Oh my, this is my fault, all of it." She said darting to his side and assessing the damage to him the moment he was uncovered slightly by the cloak, noticing only the gash on his arm which was tended to quickly with the tatters of a pant leg. Aside from the minor things he had suffered during the week, such as a few burns, he was fine, albeit his skin was extremely cold. Her breath fogged in the air. Remembering her position as lady of the house and hostess, she quickly turned back to Ranko as she covered Ranma again in the cloak, which she realized was incredibly heavy material.

"How can we help you, Metsuretsu-san?"

Nodoka looked over the girl, and nodded.

"I remember, when he was just an infant, you, you were the one who gave these to me, weren't you?" She said holding up the bundle of items, the bracers and scabbard shined in the cold sunlight.

"Why, what could he use these for?" She asked, fear of losing her only child apparent in the pleading tone she took.

"Saotome-san, Ranma needs to remember who he was, with the power he has it would be dangerous if he kept using it without knowing what it is, and what it's for. That, and he wants to be a better person, but Ranma Saotome can't do that, that's why he wanted his freedom. His father would have kept him here to teach for the rest of his life with bullshit dressed in honor sauce, and he wouldn't have had a chance to grow. I have seen him, he's too much like he used to be, a wanderer." She paused to collect herself again,

"Now please, please, give me the bracers to give to him, they'll help him to control his anger until he's got enough focus."

She stated with a bit of urgency that unnerved the swordswoman. What could cause her to want to take such a precaution while he's asleep? She questioned silently, and as if by answer, Ranma's aura began to take life again, the menacing glow spreading slowly but surely from the young warrior.

* * *

Ranma was unconscious, of that he was sure. Why he was standing in a blindingly white hallway, with doors off to each side, he couldn't quite grasp.

"Ranma, it is time for you to awaken from your dream." A familiar voice stated, oddly enough though he realized why this voice was familiar, it was his after all. He spun on his heel, and found himself face to face with, himself.

"Who... who're you?" He asked of his twin.

"I am you, or at least, who you used to be." Ranma couldn't deal with this, he needed to restore his energy before the others awoke, and this guy wasn't making sense, I wish you would just tell me what you mean, I'm too tired to deal with this. As if he had read his mind the other man introduced himself, "I am Reiko Metsuretsu, and you are reincarnated from me."

TBC...

Before the translations I would like to give special credit to my editor Paul, who wrote as much of this chapter as I did, and has given me so much help that I can't honestly express my thanks but with the meager tribute to him in the by-line. So said, now on with translations.

**Techniques Translations:**

**Mouretsu Reikon:** A manifestation of all the anger and rage that Ranma can sum up, this attack means Rage Spirit or Violent Soul.

**Hitokage no Aisu:** This is the soul of ice; this particular use of the technique was a shield. It countered the intense heat and energy of the Mouretsu Reikon.

**Shinsei Honoo:** The Rebirth Flame. This is an aura attack, the displacement caused by the aura growing violently causes energy shockwaves.

**Fukyuu Eiyuu:** Immortal Hero. This attack consists of a ki flare, it is generally a close range takedown technique, this time however, it was used to smokescreen Ranma's position, and in turn to evade the giant ki blast.

**Ryuusei Ame:** Meteor Rain. The supercharged high speed punch attack utilizes ki blasts that explode against the recipient/victim on contact.

**Musabetsu Kakuto Ryuu: **Otherwise known as Anything Goes Martial Arts.

**Shinkou Ken:** Rising Blade. This attack charges a limb with ki, and is performed with a jump, doesn't matter what kind. The general usage however, is a back flip kick, which propels a ki blade at the opponent.

**Tenshi Shouten:** Divine Ascension. This is another aura technique; this one isn't of Ranma's creation. It was merely something that came to him when he needed it, why he knew it will be clarified in later chapters. This aura technique is like that of a Super Saiyajin transformation, in that it floods the entire body with more ki than it can handle, forcing it to adapt, the more it is used the easier the technique is to perform.

**Kyuukyoku Keibatsu:** Final Judgment. This technique is an end combo. After a barrage of attacks Ranma will send his opponent into the air with any technique necessary, and follow them with a rising tackle (not in the King of Fighters sense either at least I don't think so, never saw one happen) after grabbing the stunned opponent he then stands up his opponent as they fall, and ending the entire thing with a ki blast to the chest to lay them low.

**Reiko Metsuretsu:** Great Spirit in Chaos. This one brooks no explanation, as it would be telling if I said anything.

I hope everyone will enjoy this chapter; I lengthened the combat and cut short on a bit of the talking, as people specifically requested a no holds barred combat against the NWC. I have finished the bit of revision that I thought necessary on this chapter as well.


	6. Don't Stay

The darkness that surrounded him evaporated, his double fading into mist, leaving him with the knowledge, vast knowledge of powers greater than he ever thought possible. It was when the pain began. His head started to hurt, and his body trembled beyond his control. He fell to his knees, crying out from the pain.

The power he had now was scary to him, the sheer amount of ki he could focus at one time, it was mind-blowing. His emotions swirled, his power threatened to pour fourth, against everyone. He struggled against the bonds, changing his own energy to match what his past self had been. He cried out in pain. Power like this should not have been allowed.

He fell to his knees clutching his sides in pain. Energy swirled around him, in tiny arches of lightning.

"MAKE IT STOP," he screamed into the abyss…

A startled gasp of air, a scream into the waking world, brought him into the circle of women watching over him. His eyes cleared and revealed four very beautiful women holding him, fussing over him, and worrying for him. He laid back into his mother's lap, unable to find the strength to do much else. His body was torn, not physically, but spiritually, from the power of his past self. He had no way of controlling it, no way of making sure that he did not die in the process of summoning it.

**Dark Prayer**

By: X-Zero and Paul

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½. Don't sue, I'm broke.

**Chapter 6 – Don't Stay**

Nodoka cried, feeling her son's heartbeat return to normal. Her son's power was clearly visible during his blackout, and it frightened her. She knew in her heart that he wouldn't hurt her, but it was frightening to be in the presence of such power. She cried silent prayers to any god who would listen, she prayed for her son's health, and well being. Until she felt him stir, she wasn't sure if he'd ever awake, already it had been an hour since the combat, and some of the others were rising now.

Ryouga, he had left, bowing his head as he acknowledged his defeat. Ukyo had woken up a few minutes ago, confused, wondering why she wasn't brutalized like the others. Shampoo had been taken by the awakened Mousse along with the still unconscious elder, back to their place. Taro was still in his coma, but the hospital guaranteed that he would be alright eventually.

But through all of this, the warrior remained out cold. Ranko seemed unconcerned by his condition. She had heard a bit of the story from Ranko of her son and his power, but it was too much to believe. The reincarnate of a warrior that gave gods reason to tremble, it was almost too much to believe.

Like a Phoenix from the grave, his eyes opened. She could see the fire burning there, but there was a mix of emotion. The warrior was not the same anymore.

The Tendo sisters and their guest, Ranko, smiled warmly at the prone form of Ranma. Nabiki looked at him with an apologetic smile that was warm with the need for a friend, Kasumi with a genuine smile, not the one that she gave to everyone, this one was meant for her little brother. Ranko, the last of them, she smiled at him with genuine love, a warmness, and kindness that he had long ago given up on ever seeing. He could not find the strength to return their smiles so he laid there.

"I...I need to stand." He said hesitantly, knowing well that these women would be reluctant to allow him to rise. He could barely sit up a few minutes before, but he found his body finding its center once again. He slowly pushed up and looked around.

"How long has it been?" He asked, looking around, the only still forms remaining around this place were that of the dumbass duo, the old freak, and the brat. Those nicknames brought a lump of disgust into his throat, though that was quickly settled by spitting at them.

The redhead was the first to respond, "It's been about an hour, maybe a little more." She spoke quietly, her whispered tones ringing clearly in his ears. "Re... Ranma, I know that I should have been more forward…"

"I wasn't ready," Ranma assured her, raising his hand. "I thank you for being there though."

"You know some of it then?" She asked in confusion. This was moving faster than even she expected.

"Reiko came for a chat," he smiled weakly. The pain was an all too fresh memory for his mind and spirit. "I think I am in trouble."

"Your power is not ready," Ranko look at him gravely. She remembered Reiko's strength, the awesome power that consumed both him and the darkness twenty years before. It was enough to make her shudder, especially if Ranma could not control it.

"I think Reiko said he placed the blocks back," he shook his head. "His power was insane."

"It was meant for a different time," Ranko lamented. "Reiko's power was like nothing even the Gods had thought up."

"It's nice to know that I have a ways to go," Ranma tried to lighten the mood, but everyone looked down.

Ranko looked at him seriously for the first time since they met. "You need to leave, before it consumes you and everyone around you."

Nodoka looked at the woman in shock. "You don't mean…"

"Reiko told me this would happen," Ranko said softly, nodding her head and hefting the Katana that belonged to the fallen warrior.

"But I hoped that it would not be so painful when he fully awoke. I had hoped you would be able to stay with those you loved and whom loved you…but…" she stopped, holding back tears, remembering the years of long separation from Reiko.

"It's not something that could have happened," Ranma said, holding her by the shoulders. She swore in her mind, she heard the strength and control of Reiko there.

"The power that I posses will either consume me or be mastered by me, and it's not a struggle that others can be present for. It's one I must master on my own."

She hugged him lightly, remembering that Ranma was not the same as Reiko. Affection made the new warrior very uncomfortable.

His mother stepped forward, tears in her eyes. "Do you have too?"

"No choice," he shrugged, giving her a light hug. He forgave his mothers mistakes, as he hoped she forgave his, but there was still uneasiness there. He didn't really know how to be family with anyone…he was so used to being alone.

"Choices are rarely given to those with great power," Ranko offered the older woman. "Reiko would tell me that all the time."

"Who is Reiko," Nabiki asked, finding her voice again after so long.

"He is," Ranko shrugged, jerking a thumb towards Ranma. "Or at least, he was. I can't tell you the whole story until he remembers."

Everyone accepted that without question, it fit with the strange life that they tended to lead.

"Are your bracers bothering you Ranma," she asked, looking at the lightly glowing blue bracers.

"Nah," he looked at them, and then looked towards the Katana. "Mind if I see that though?"

Ranko looked at the ancient weapon, startled by the fact that she had not given it to him sooner. She handed him the weapon, when the hilt began to glow brightly.

"What the hell?" Ranma watched as tendrils of light reached from the bracers to the swords. He looked again, he swore she had handed him only one sword.

Ranko laughed lightly. "Reiko never told me the secret to those swords. In his hands they were two blades of exquisite beauty and power. In another's hands it looked like a useless antique."

Ranma smiled slightly. Twirling the swords, he slipped them together, and marveled as they reformed into one blade. He placed it at his side and looked at Ranko. "Not too bad am I?"

"Not at all," she smiled sadly. "I hope you find what you are looking for."

"So do I," Ranma hugged her and wished the others goodbye. He turned and began walking towards the doors of the Tendo compound, when Happosai squatted before him.

"I was wondering when you would wake up, Reiko," he said with a slight bow. "I have missed you old friend."

"Not Reiko yet, old freak," Ranma smirked, but returned the bow of respect. "I take it you knew my past self."

"Yes," he nodded.

"Your past self was a great warrior, but also a greater friend. I should have seen it long ago, when you turned out so much greater than that louse Genma should have been able to produce."

"It's alright," Ranma said with a smile. "I still have a long way to go before I am back to the man that you knew. If I can ever reach that level of strength at all."

"You will," Happosai smiled at him, and reached into his tunic. "This is for you, Ranma. Use it well."

He handed him a small amulet. It had the Yin-Yang symbol on it, with a strange character carved into the center.

"You will know what it means when you are ready," Happosai watched as he walked in.

Just give me myself back and

"I'm leaving tonight." He said as he observed the 3 o'clock sun. Thoughts somewhat in order the young man moved through the ruins of the house, looking for his pack, the heavy material hopefully having survived this destruction. There, he found it along with a heavy looking lock box, undoubtedly full of Nabiki's things. He hefted the two heavy packs, his and the old man's, as well as the box. He set the box down before Nabiki, before digging through the packs, consolidating the contents into his single one. Taking only what he needed, and dumping the rest into the other for sale.

"That makes sense." He states simply as the hidden pocket of his father's pack is found, gems and precious metals from the many ruins, temples, and monasteries they had visited spilling into the main pack.

"None of these are from the one's that had any people, that's for sure." He thought aloud to himself, noting the flawless nature of the precious materials.

"I'll keep 'em though." Once again to himself as he finishes. He stood and looked around, noting that Akane was rising, their fathers doing the same slowly.

Akane couldn't believe this, here she was, the best martial artist around (A/N: She isn't too bright ok?) and that perverted jerk had gone and cheated, using his dirty tricks to catch her when she wasn't ready. Her groan and pained form agreed that she indeed wasn't ready. Her mind could barely cope with the icy feeling she had, cold as if there had been snow the previous night. That was when it hit her, she couldn't feel her pillows, blanket, or even... no she was still wearing enough of her sweat suit preserve her modesty.

She groaned at looked over to the noise she heard. Her father and uncle Saotome, they were hurt, more noise. Her head snapped over to where she saw Ranma messing with his pack, Aunty and her sisters watching him, and not helping her. That's when she saw that girl, that one that had snuck up on her a while ago. Her eyes narrowed, Yeah, it is her. that was the slut who interfered in her fight and snuck up behind her. She wouldn't stand a chance now that Akane was ready for her. (Skewed and nearly retarded that girl is.)She boiled with rage, allowing her anger to effortlessly override both her protesting muscles and her common sense, pathetic as it was. She rose, glaring daggers into the petite redhead.

"You! YOU BITCH!" She screamed, knowing in her heart that this whore was the cause for Ranma's new behavior, but she couldn't have him, they had given him to her, he was hers, she owned him.

Ranko watched the spoiled little brawler awaken, and with a little detachment watched her charge, her own energy reserves not nearly as tapped as Ranma's. She had been Reiko's other half, the warrior who fought with him through the darkest battle that the Earth would ever know, and this little child thought she was ready for her. She settled into the combat stance that Reiko taught her, and waited for the child. She never arrived.

Ranma noted the daughter of Soun rushing towards Ranko. His bracers glowed a bright red, and he appeared before her. His eyes blazed to life, taking on the same color as his bracers.

I don't want to be ignored

"NO ONE HARMS RANKO!" He roared, bringing his fist forward. It was then that it exploded. The pain he felt returned.

He blocked her mallet swing, using his other arm to snap the handle of the semi solid ki construct, lifting her legs from the ground with a sweep. It did not end there though. He was too enraged to really think. Moments later he was assaulting her with punch after punch, kick after kick, each attack slamming into the girl, who to her merit, was still trying to fight back. Heavy punches shot forward from her, only to end up clashing against his fist, causing immense pain. She began to submit beneath the onslaught, her tolerance for pain not withstanding the pigtailed fighter's brutalization. She once again found herself pushed past her limits, and into the sweet bliss of the unaware.

Ranma backed away from Akane's bloodied form. His hands…his hands they were covered in her blood. Just like Reiko and Ranko had warned, he was not in control of himself, let alone his power. He fell to his knees, when Ranko appeared at his side, and held her hands over the girl. Golden energy poured forth from her hands, and slowly healed the wounds.

"Hurry and finish," she said in a commanding tone. "You don't want anything else to set you off. Your power might do more than you want to happen."

He nodded numbly, when he heard the dual dumbasses, well, sadly, or not, they weren't intelligent enough to realize that they didn't have a chance against the prodigy that stood falling apart before them, and so both charged, but never made it. A brutal snap kick to the Tendo patriarch's face put him down and sent teeth and blood pouring onto the rubble. Genma similarly was sent spiraling into the land of dreams by a front-foot wheel kick to the temple. The rotund and aging martial artist fell to the ground, unconscious. Before them stood Happosai, the fighter shrugging as he dragged the two away.

"Forget it and just leave now, it'll make things less difficult."

Ranma nodded, and tossed his pack onto his shoulder. He paused for just a moment, only long enough to return the fierce embrace of the women who had watched over him.

"I promise I'll send word when I've stopped somewhere long enough." He was gone than, disappeared. The last words they would hear of him for years to come floated gently on the wind. "Sleep Mode."

* * *

_Two Months Later_

"Mouretsu Reikon!" The lance of red energy slammed into the 7 foot demon, and incinerated it. Ranma went alert as he heard the sound of sirens in the distance, and swiftly dashed from the scene, knowing that his letter would still arrive, despite the area of devastation surrounding the mailbox. Moments after he was gone several heroines dressed entirely too scandalously would arrive, and be confused even as reporters snapped photos and reported another victory for them. A certain green-haired ancient nodded as she watched the pigtailed warrior leave the ward, headed for the woods. She couldn't help but shiver at the future she had seen. The one she dreamed of was hell compared to the one that he would create, if he was allowed to grow. Her future self had made sure she had sat down and saw the truth, and the greatness the young boy held. Hopefully he would be able to find his way. She turned and disappeared from the nearby rooftop as her friends began to arrive, and look at the devastation the chaos lord had unleashed on the demon.

Miles away an auburn haired woman opened a letter, sitting beside the two young women she'd come to think of as daughters.

* * *

"Dear Mom,

Training has been going well, at least I think. Reiko has not appeared to talk to me since the time I tried to release his holds on the power. I think it was the first time I have ever been scared in my life, even Saffron cannot match an angry Reiko. And I decided to listen, since he still holds the key to the lion's share of the power that I was blessed with, or cursed. With Great Power comes Great Responsibility, the American movie I watched recently said, and I am beginning to see just how hard it is to hold such power. I've manage to begin the process though, and I hope Reiko is proud. I cannot let myself down after all. I'm on my way to a Taoist monastery that Genma and I passed on our training trip. This place was where I learned Tai Chi, and hopefully, there I will find some answers. I'm on my way North now, and hope to contact you again soon. With Love,

Ranma

P.S. Tell Nabiki and Kasumi that I say hello and that I miss them.

* * *

The brief message lifted Nodoka spirits, but was it to little to late. Life at the Tendo dojo was far from perfect now. The family was a mess and her "husband" refused to ease their burden any. Now, without Ranma's power there, the terrors that seemed to march through Nerima were unabated. Happosai seemed to have changed overnight, he kept spouting off some nonsense about the Great one returning, while Ranko only laughed at his antics. It was a situation she did not understand, and really did not want to. The only thing she hoped for was the quick return of her son, before things flew even farther out of control.

The Tendo dojo was suspiciously quiet, no noises of rage...

"Damn that pervert!" Never mind, I was thinking of some other training hall, this one was shaking visibly from the temper tantrum of its youngest occupant. Her raging tantrums having run through her supply of cinderblocks, two by fours, and bricks. Nabiki refused to buy more, and Soun, for his foolish merit, could do nothing to convince the girl to the contrary. Kasumi, bless her heart, remained the calm in the storm, dutifully doing the chores around the house while Nabiki brought in money, and the others drank, destroyed, cried, whined, complained, and all around harassed the other two.

* * *

_One Month Later…_

Travel was not something new to him; in fact he preferred it to the stationary life he led in Nerima. Traversing forests and huge grasslands, crossed rural rice paddies, visited several smaller towns and cities, done minor work during the few short hours that he stayed, and left again. But now he stood before the gate of the monastery, perched high on a rocky cliff overlooking the pacific. As he approached the gate the monks came to greet him, sketching a bow, which the pigtailed man returned in kind.

"I have come seeking Brother Sho; can you show me to him?" Ranma inquired of the man, hoping perhaps to find the old mentor that had saved him from insanity.

"You seek Sho-sensei? Yes, come with me." He led him through a well kept courtyard, and beautifully groomed sand garden, they reached the door and instantly Ranma kicked off the slippers he wore, which showed signs of wear.

"Thank you." He bowed again as he opened the sliding door and entered, taking a seat before the master teacher. Through all this he made not a sound, but knew that the old man had long ago sensed his presence, even as he sat patiently awaiting his mentor's attention.

Sho felt a student he had not seen in a long time, and knew that he would never, 'see' him again. His eyes had gone, but still he was the master of this place, and the most skilled in their art. He was a well built man considering his age, and wore the simple grey tunic and breeches of his brothers. Thick silver-white hair was kept in a swordsman's ponytail, and framed his face well, blind eyes staring off into the distance.

After what seemed like hours to the young warrior the old man spoke, "You have returned, as I knew you would. Tell me, why do you believe you are here?" He asked of the young man knowingly.

"Don't know quiet yet," Ranma said sitting next to the monk who tried to excise one of his demons years ago. He had found lately that those demons went far deeper than he ever imagined. Even after three months he was still no closer to control Reiko's awesome power, nor was he any closer to understanding why he had been reborn at all, or if he had been reborn.

He breathed in and out slowly, looking at the monk, but never meet his eyes. Sho simply shook his head. "You answer well, for one so young."

"As I understand it, I am not that young," Ranma found a small part of the floor very interesting. "They tell me I am a reborn soul."

"That you are," Sho said with a smile. "Come old friend, let us eat and we shall see about lifting one demon from you. You will have to find the rest."

This was how the training began, for months to come he would sit in quiet meditation under the tutelage of the old monk. He would do chores to keep his body in shape. The days went by quickly after the agonizing crawl of the first days. Now he sat here, meditating upon the time he has spent here, and the letter he had written a few days ago, sending it to his mother, who would read it soon before he left this place.

* * *

"Dear Mother,

First and foremost I hope that this letter finds you in good health. I reached the monastery some year and a half ago, and things have proceeded well, the brother's here have been kind, courteous, and closer to family than I have ever known. Master Sho has become the real father figure that I have been wont for. If things continue in their current path than I should be leaving this place soon, at least I hope. Master Sho has fallen ill and so now I merely meditate upon the scrolls he has instructed me to learn. I still have no idea what Reiko is, or who he was, no one wants to tell me though they seem to know. I wish I could understand. I wish I knew why I am here. It gets harder and harder to breathe with every day. I keep getting the feeling that the world is closing in on me, and if I am not able to overcome, soon enough there will be no room to run or to change. Master Sho has taken to showing me how to breathe, how to find my center in my breath, rather than my fist. I can only hope that it is working.…

_Flashback_

Sho and Ranma sat upon large rocks within the sand garden breathing calmly as they meditated, after over an hour Ranma began to get impatient.

"Master, when will we begin our practice?" He asked with an edge in his polite tone. The old man merely gave him an insufferable smirk and responded.

"We will begin when you can remain calm throughout the first exercise." The old man smiled and continued to sit within the lotus position calmly, breathing evenly and totally at peace. Ranma tried to follow the elder man's example and continued to meditate, seeking his center and holding himself there, calmly embracing the flow of his soul's strength. When he was broken from his trance by Sho's words he was surprised.

"Huh, what did you say?" He responded intelligently.

"I said young one, that our exercises are complete for today." The Tao master stood for a moment and stretched to work away the stiffness he felt from sitting for so long.

"What do you mean?" Ranma asked, ignoring the blatantly obvious answer. "Look at the sky." The man supplied, it was dark, the light of the sun replaced with the light of the torches lining the monastery walls. The pigtailed warrior felt dumbfounded, he had been sitting here for hours, completely oblivious to the goings on of the things around him.

"H-how? Master Sho, how can it be so late already?" He asked, muttering to himself as they went into the main dining hall.

"Just as the reed bends to the winds, so too does the completely focused mind bend without notice." He responded in his rasping voice, leaving the young man to gape like a fish in wonderment.

_End Flashback_

After that day things went back to normal, that training exercise having turned into one of our normal routines. We'd sit in meditation for the later part of the day, returning to the dining hall to eat after the sun had set. The earlier parts of the day were devoted to chores though, and believe me, they are much different chores than one would imagine. The chores are nothing incredibly strenuous, mind you. In fact, I have had a chance to learn the Bakusai Tenketsu due to it, which turned out for the best. The cliff that the temple rests at the foot of was crumbling a bit, and one day during chores something happened.

_Flashback_

Ranma was repairing things on the roof when he heard the rumbling noise, and when he looked up he saw the tons stone heading toward him, tumbling down the steep cliff face. For a fraction of an instant, Ranma's mind locked up, natural reaction taking prevalence, but just as quickly as that neuron made its connection another fired, reminding him of his intense martial skill. His senses returned he leapt to meet the first boulder as it came; he lighted upon the large rock for merely an instant, jamming his finger into the thing and leaping away, only to land on another of the falling stones as the first exploded in a hail of pebbles and shrapnel. This process repeated several times, until the roof of his new home was littered entirely with small rocks. Strangely though, this was what he was doing, he was setting gravel into the freshly tarred roof. He applied his energy carefully and as he landed atop the monastery he suffused the entire roof of the building with a brilliant cerulean glow, melting further the tar, and feeling the rocks sink into the ebon stickiness. With a thought he reversed his technique, cooling his aura to near freezing slowly, cooling the freshly done job.

He touched ground and came face to face with one of the elder monks, who noted that he carried with him the large sacks that contained the gravel.

"What happened brother Ranma?" Ranma continued on his way, responding seriously as he went.

"Rock slide, nothing serious." With that he was gone, leaving a Taoist monk to do a rather convincing fish-out-of-water impression.

_End Flashback_

The rest of my time has been spent studying myself, introspection such as what caused me to do what I did, who am I? These profound questions that people have pondered for thousands of years are the ones I now have to answer, and find these answers quickly. I have come to one conclusion, however, strange that an American cartoon makes all too clear. Strangely enough I made this discovery while I was in my girl form, master Sho having insisted that I spend half of my time as a girl to better acclimate myself to centering the female body that I sometimes inhabit.

'I am who I am, and that's all that I am'

Now in this I mean that no matter the complicated answers that those who don't really know the answer to the questions I spent wondering about, there is only one answer for the question, 'Who am I?' and that is, 'I'm me and no one else.' I have truly learned many things in my stay here, and as of today, I am leaving this place. Master Sho is to be cremated just before I leave, my hope is that he has the peace now in death that he had in life. He has helped me greatly to achieve a sense of peace, for which I will forever be thankful. Master Sho has told me of other places where I may be able to achieve more learning. He feels that I should take time away from martial arts to learn a craft of some kind, that I might better function in the modern world. So, I end this letter as I did the one before. Oh, and do tell Nabiki and Kasumi how I have been, which if it was not previously mentioned, I am well. I love you all very much, and cannot wait for the day that I return, as it is, right now I would be nothing more than a burden, and that is something I cannot bear to be any longer.

Love Always,

Ranma"

* * *

As the auburn haired woman read this latest message from her son aloud to the younger women, she couldn't help but smile at seeing the looks on their faces, the precious looks of longing plain as day on angelic features. She too wished her son would hurry and return, but she knew in her heart, where felt it mattered most, that he would return to make her proud. He had already done so, by remaining himself despite the things around him, by not losing his sanity in a maddening hell of his father's construction, and by not giving in to the 'manly' urges he felt to women he cared nothing for aside from fleeting friendship. Beautiful women who would have no trouble seducing any man they desired, her sons show of discipline and self control was astounding, now if only he'd actually find someone to settle down with and have children. She derailed the train of thought and returned to her chores, ushering Nabiki and Kasumi off to class.

* * *

"Master Sho Iruhara is dead, and now, he is to be buried, his last student wishes to be the one to fulfill the old man's wish to be cremated in the fires of spirit, and we feel that no other, none but this last protégé, should be given that honor, if any among us disagree, speak now." Spoke Brother Shen, after a few minutes of silence, he continued.

"Come brothers, we go to the cliff side." They all strode solemnly to the cliff overlooking the sea, finding Ranma, sitting on the edge, floating with his aura maintaining a cushion below him.

"It is time Brother Ranma." The pigtailed man rose, his grey tunic and pants fluttering with his self made wind.

"Farewell, master." His aura rose around him like a bonfire, peaking several meters in the air.

"This is the day of endings and new beginnings, let that the kami gift this soul with passage into the realm of the ancestors, and that his enlightened spirit be at peace. Fukyuu Eiyuu!" The stream of silver fire overtook the funeral pyre, burning it away quickly, leaving behind only the shallow collection tray and the ashes of a great man.

"Return to the realm of eternity, and rest in peace." His voice was soon echoed by the voices of several of those around him. He shed a single tear into the wind, the crystalline droplet finding its way into the tray before him. Even as he went solemnly the men and few women surrounding him that had become as family to him nodded, understanding his need to go, wishing to share his particular pain, wishing they could help him through this grief, but each and every one knew, that this was a cross that he needed to bear, and he alone needed this pain, it would help him to grow as the old master had wanted.

TBC...

A/N: I think this one turned out well and hope to have the training trip arc over with soon, the return to Nerima will promise some more of the mayhem you're used to, I promise. And once again you all have my prereader/editor Paul to thank for making this better than it was.

**Technique Translations:**

**Fukyuu Eiyuu**- This means Immortal Hero, and is a ki blast which doesn't use the emotional ki focus. It is not as strong as others in small quantity, but when the levels are raised, than it becomes a force to be reckoned with.

**Mouretsu Reikon:** The Violent Soul/Rage Spirit is an anger based blast, that instead of feeding anger and causing it to grow in the manner of the Shi Shi Hokodan, instead it feeds from the anger and drains the emotion as if one had raged them self to sleep, without the sleep part.


	7. Belonging

And he walked away, leaving behind friends who had, in the time he was with them, become as brothers, maybe one day he'd return, to visit with the men of this place.

**Dark Prayer**

By:X-Zero

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and whoever produces it, Street Fighter, Sakura, Chun-Li, M. Bison, and Colonel Guile all belong to Capcom and their affiliates

**Chapter 7- Belonging**

Traveling the country, even on foot as the young man was doing, was costly. The pigtailed young man had spent a great deal of his money on a few investment tips that he'd gotten from a conversation Nabiki had been having with one of her flunkies, that investment was holding steady and would hopefully rise in value. He would need that money to produce more if he was going to start a new life. He'd long ago sworn to never be like his father, and felt that learning the things he believed could be useful given his unique talent for property damage would also benefit him with a job if he ever ran out of money and was in need of it. This had led him to Kyoto, where the construction workers of Nerima had learned their craft. The speed, and skill of these workers were boasted to be the best in their industry and had easily drawn the pigtailed warrior's attention.

The building was nothing special, a sparsely furnished and simple place of brick and mortar consisting of a partially constructed building standing three stories above the single floored main building.

"Excuse me, is this the Kyoto Construction Union?" The young pigtailed man asked meekly, knowing that he was a novice to them, in their trade at least. The only other one in the reception area was a tall, barrel chested man who looked to be in his late fourties, with arms like logs and legs lean and sturdy.

"Yeah, you got the right place kid, what can I do for ya?" He asked raising a brow to look the younger man over. Funny, he couldn't possible want to learn the trade, could he? He thought to himself while appraising Ranma.

"I was looking for someone who could tell me where I applied for apprenticeship, I used to live in Nerima and plan on moving back there." He hoped that that explanation would prove enough here. Even if it was a bad reputation, most people understood and accepted the explanation that one was a resident of Japan's second most crazy city. He didn't want to go into detail about his life, nor his reason for being so far from home.

"Sure, I can help ya, my name's Ichiro Kino, but everybody calls me Tou. I'm one of the guys to talk to about gettin' set up as an apprentice. You got any problems with workin' long hours in the sun?" He asked, his opinion of the young man's stature starting to show.

"I'm Ranma, and no, it can't be anywhere near as hard as some of the stuff I've done in the past." He said, thinking all the while, yeah, like pulling chestnuts out of a fire quickly enough to avoid being burnt, crashing through buildings via punch propulsion, or shooting ki blasts would count as hard compared to learning to build things.

'Tou' nodded a moment while pursing his lips before stopping suddenly and smiling, "Alright kid, show up out back at 6am tomorrow." He spoke, deep baritone voice holding a slight chuckle in its tone. "Alright, see ya than." Ranma headed off, grinning.

"Alright, let's see, I should get something to eat, and... oof." He'd bumped into a young woman, who similarly was lost in thought, to the point of not watching the sidewalk ahead.

"Oh, hey, watch where you're going!" The young woman screamed, looking up at the form of Ranma, and very suddenly began began appraising him, as a fighter might. Ranma, keeping his cool as best he could in light of the situation calmly reached a hand out to the young woman, who he noted had short brown hair that gave her a tomboyish look, oddly, she wore a blue and white school fuku, her brown eyes showed innocence that belied her experience which was easily read in her aura. Her arms fell to the sides loosely and at the ready, hands in half fists that were covered by orange knuckle-studded gloves which suited her, and a pair of orange high top sneakers. She accepted his proffered arm and was quickly on her feet.

"Sorry about that, guess I was too hungry to notice where I was going. Say, how about I buy you lunch as an apology." He knew that he'd been in the wrong, or at least thought he was, and so he wanted to make amends. With some luck, getting a friend out of the deal couldn't hurt things.

"I'm Ranma by the way." He said with a slight smile, gesturing to the cafe a few yards away, the place in fact, that he was headed.

Sakura's anger was quickly derailed, she could feel his aura and wanted a good fight, and to do that, she'd need to eat, as she hadn't eaten in a while. Looking for her sempai was tiresome, and hungry work, she'd take the time to get a quick meal, not like she had anywhere to be.

"Sure, I have time for that. I have to get back to finding this guy I know afterward though." She blushed slightly as she thought of exactly who the 'guy' she knew was. "Let's go than."

They had been seated and had ordered when the the curious strength to the girls aura, "You wouldn't happen to be a martial artist, would you?" He asked tentatively, not wanting to anger her if she was, reading someones aura might be considered an invasion of privacy. Her expression to his surprise wasn't an angry one, she instead grew a large grin on her features.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to have a match. But I was too hungry to fight before I ate." She blushed and lowered her head sheepishly.

The food arrived a moment later and they quickly devoured their meals, Ranma getting himself alot of ramen and Sakura mimicking his order. In short order they had demolished the titanic supply of food. Ranma paid the bill with a wallet that looked to have seen better days.

"So, you wanna have that match now?

* * *

That led them here, to a vacant lot on the edge of the city, the area surrounded in debris from a destroyed building, the chunks of construction material strewn about, but perhaps by serendipity an area of 20 meters was left level and uncracked, the foundation of the building maintained for future use, and strangely clear of all but a thin layer of dust. Sakura and Ranma now stood near face to face, right arms crossing at the wrist. The fierce determination in the pair of eyes was strangely similar, and one could swear they were siblings. A single pebble rolled down the large mound of rubble.

"Yahh!" Sakura dashed in at the unspoken signal and delivered an opening straight, low kick, spinning ax combo. Her opponent was fast, and ducked around her strikes easily, letting her know she'd need to up the ante before she'd see his real strength. She continued her assault, missing narrowly, and on the occasion she did connect, he'd block and counter her moves with a throw. She'd started to pick up speed and with it the strength her momentum based style could produce, her blows flowed evenly and with strength at times blurring together as the misses were redirected into kicks of extreme strength.

With every miss or blocked blow she'd increase strength, and soon she glowed with the supernatural blue light that her inner energies created as they swirled around her fists and feet. The momentum base become a background to the rapid barrage of punches and kicks of all variety. Finally, she decided to hold nothing back, and began unleashing a fatal series of ki attacks, short range blasts swirling to life only to be lobbed without care at her opponent.

Throughout the match Ranma couldn't help but marvel at how her fighting style was unlike any other he'd come accross, she appeared to have taught herself everything, every move was designed to flow evenly into another to create and endless torrent of fists and feet. She reminded him of himself, a few years ago, and how very impulsively he fought, each of her moves was a make or break attack. Everything she had she poured forth at him, this was her entire spirit. She fought like he had once done, without a care for anything other than the battle she was in. He wished he could still fight as she did, but with the overeager demons he kept within him, he could not risk the excitement of battle, lest he lose control.

Thunderous damage echoed out into the fading light around, he and his opponent devastating their surroundings. "This is fun, but now it's time to end it." They had remained on even levels the entire fight, with Sakura elevating her power and prompting Ranma to do the same, but now, with a short burst of power he had rushed in laying into the younger girl with a savagery that seemed to be cruel. His grin that matched her own the only detail saving this from being a murderous act. Sakura's face contorted momentarily in pained concentration as she fought the darkness that had encroached her vision, but with her strength fading, she lost conciousness.

Ranma looked up to the sky he'd exhausted a great deal of energy and realized with a bit of awe at the girl, this fight had lasted somewhere near two or three hours, she was strong. The pigtailed fighter followed the shorthaired girl to the land of dreams shortly after, his endurance having been taxed to poverty through their long going match.

Birds... she could hear birds, but, but why would birds be in her room, and right next to her no less. Curiosity aching to be sated she cracked an eye, immediately recanting that decision as daylight thrust into her retina. She winced as the soreness from what she recalled as a sparring match between her and that guy, Ranma. Her eyes widened, despite the slight pain of sun in her eyes, "What?" Her thought interupted as she noticed to her displeasure that she was laying on concrete. "What's going on?" She wondered aloud, and to even greater surprise, she received an answer.

"I won."

* * *

Ranma had woke almost an hour and a half ago, and had guaged the sun or rather the lack thereof, realizing that he had a couple of hours until he was to be at the union house. He'd gone about making sure that all of his stuff was still there and checking the girls injuries, making sure that his excitement during their match hadn't broken anything. He'd found the obvious bruising, and in some places thin red slices, like she had been clawed by a cat. This worried him, as he couldn't remember exactly those last few moments. That bothered him, when he had gotten tired he felt himself shift, it was like watching reality change before his eyes. Of what he remembered was something supressing him, pushing his thoughts down.

"I ain't bein' anyone but me." He recited his promise to himself and sat beginning his meditation. The power he felt coursing through him was still being partially governed by the being that claimed to be who he was in another life. He dove deep into his own mind, pushing past the natural barrier, and into his very soul. He concentrated hard and found what he was looking for. The familiar energy pattern of the other man in himself, the one he assumed pushed through partially in battle. "Reiko, show yourself!" He announced angrily.

* * *

Reiko Metsuretsu awoke from the pseudo sleep that he had while trapped half alive by fate, though he hated to call it that. It wasn't fate was it? It couldn't have been, fate doesn't involve what you want. This was something much crueler, he hadn't had the power to finish what he had started, and so, the temporary solution was obvious. He had needed to die to seal away that darkness, and die he had, in a spectacular battle that shook the world, one that had seen an entire island sunk beneath the waves. But now that time had passed and it was up to this youth to finish what he could not. His thoughts were interupted as the voice of his successor to his strength rang clearly throughout the sort of dreamscape he inhabited.

"You called for me?" He responded curtly, his voice oddly hollow, as if something were bothering him, but what could bother he, a dead man, Ranma would wonder.

"What the hell was it that you did to me? Why did I start to lose control during that fight?" Ranma pleaded for the answer, even though his voice held nothing but outrage. He could feel his own insecurities about losing control as he had before, during the sparring match with master Sho. He cringed at the thought, and depression leaked into his aura, visible as day to this grandmaster. Reiko shared his pain in the fact that it was a part of his soul that had struck out at the blind master.

"That Ranma was the manifestation of the Neko Ken, within our soul, I fear that with my becoming aware here, so too has that beast. The supressing effect of the bracers is holding it mostly at bay, but I fear that the demon that fuels that dreaded technique will continue to grow in strength if we do not find some way to exercise it. For now you must continue to grow stronger, and gain mastery over your strength, or we will be consumed by ourselves. I am truly sorry, and can only hope that in time I will fade, and leave your mind, ending my current existence, and return to you yourself."

Reiko turned around within the dreamscape and left Ranma to his thoughts, but as soon as the man was gone he could hear the voice of Sakura, her scream was enough to pull him back. The tunnel like effect of a man rushing to retake the helm of his body was odd, but Ranma was far from unused to the feeling.

He reached the world around him just in time to make out a question from the brown haired girl's lips. "What's going on?" She mused quietly now, and apparently did not expect an answer, as upon hearing the grinning reply.

"I won." She jumped, her entire body heaving itself backward, than upward, backward roll handspring. She landed in a defensive stance and began charging her energies, though she released the buildup upon seeing a smiling pigtailed man.

"Ranma?" She asked, hoping to god that a challenge such as he would not be a dream, that she hadn't had the horrible luck to have imagined this all. Upon his nod her wary look turned to a broad smile.

"Will you teach me?" She asked him bluntly, causing him to narrowly avoid kissing the concrete.

"Um, while I would normally, right now I have matters that take precedence. Now, you could train with me while I'm here in Kyoto, but I simply don't have the time necessary to train you properly." He responded with a 'we regret to inform you' tone in his voice, remaining clinical, despite the growing fear within him that the NekoKen, a technique, no, a torture visited on him by his father, would indeed consume him, his dreams of the pit had returned, and now he had only one choice, gain mastery, or death. Nothing else was an option to him now, he could only do those two things. His refusal to be a danger to innocents was too great, he wouldn't want to accidentally hurt someone he loved because he lost control of that demon. He returned again from his introspection to see Sakura looking at him with a slight frown, which transformed into a smile quickly. "I suppose that's okay."

Ranma reached the union with just a few minutes to spare, he and Sakura parting ways after a quick breakfast. "Tou? You here?" He asked as he moved into the back area of the building, as he had been instructed the previous day.

"Hello?" He called out through what, to him, appeared to be a completely deserted building. He was surprised a moment later when the giant frame of Tou appeared in the doorway.

"You were early, eh? Well, put these on and meet me outside." He casually tossed the young man a toolbelt, coveralls, and a hardhat.

"You'll need that. Oh, and here." He walked the few feet between them, handing the young a book.

"These are the basic measurements and whatnot, mostly stuff you learned in school, but skim through that, make sure ya got everything down." The much larger man turned and left than, heading off down into the practical application area of the instruction area.

It was these times, when Ranma sat alone in study, or in preparation of something that would later have a great deal of effect on his future, that he reflected upon his life. He could remember the loneliness of his training trips, and somehow, each time he sat in solitude, these memories would return to haunt him, leaving him feeling hopeless, but lately, they hadn't, they could only enforce his decision to leave that worthless and pitiful existence.

Nabiki was right, thank god I actually listened, too bad she had to blackmail me to do it. He smiled at that thought, instead of the expression most would have when thinking of blackmail. He'd learned some time ago that everything Nabiki had ever done had been to support her family, and from what he could tell, eventually that took to mean him as well. He'd become a decently shrewd businessman when it was needed, and as the saying goes, 'forewarned is forearmed.' He browsed quickly through the book, picking up a few things he'd need, such as the names and uses for the tools that he saw in his belt, and the uses of the different types of lumber, and other building materials he'd need. He noticed that most of these things were simple, but that he'd need to memorize the portion of the book that listed the building codes for the country, those where bound to have some importance.

Half hour later the pigtailed young man entered the construction zone, where the journeymen would teach their apprentices the different things they'd need to become licensed contractors. Throughout the two and a half hours he spent in the 'class' he'd kept his attention sharply focused on Tou, the large man showing him the way to do things, and after a couple demonstrations expecting him to be able to repeat it. The first few times he'd failed to even grasp the simplest concept, measuring and marking. A few months later though, the same young man was spot marking, a talent that had taken Tou many years to perfect.

* * *

_Intermission_

These classes lasted for nearly two months before something happened, during the time Ranma had grown closer to Sakura, finally glad to meet another person who didn't look at him as a trophy, a commodity to be passed around. Before they knew it, the Street Fighter tournament had crossed into Japan again, and as it did news of something terrible came to the young warriors.

_End Intermission_

_

* * *

_

"B-bison?" Sakura stuttered as the chinese woman and she circled one another, both with tired expressions.

"Yes he's coming here, it seems that he survived, like the roach he is." She stated, several kicks launched from the elder woman, striking at first a solid block which flashed blue as a small aura flare stabbed into the older woman's leg, but further met nothing but air nothing but air, as Sakura leapt over the blows, right leg searching for the top of her adversaries head. Her foot found purpose momentarily as she used the woman in blue's head as a spring board of sorts, launching herself further into the air.

"Shinku Hadoken!" She screamed, loosing the quickly gathered energy burst. It flared out from her palms and caught her opponent by surprise at the speed which she had gathered the large attack, and catching her off guard enough for her to lose the match. Chun-Li sank into unconsciousness seconds after the blast subsided. Sakura landed and assumed a victory pose, before she herself fell into the abyss of unconscious, exhausted from her match with the more experienced fighter.

* * *

Hours later both world warriors rose from a resting place that was much too soft for the ground both knew they had lapsed into the dark on.

"Wha, where am I?" The two women spoke in unisen, each taking a moment to account for themselves, and each finding that they were well bandaged and only suffering from a lack of energy. They were tired, and thus needed food to replenish their energy stores. Sakura lifted her head to look around the room, and saw that it was nought but an empty room with a pair of futons and a pack in the corner, a sword resting against both pack and wall. She heard what sounded to be a guitar coming from outside, slowly, as the snails pace she moved at was the most she could manage she wandered toward the window, to look outside. She saw nothing, but now knew that the sound was coming from up, as she turned her head roofward she noted the familiar stiff boot hanging from the roof's overhang.

"Ranma?" She called weakly, her breathing coming in gasps. She berated herself for being so weak, but right now, she couldn't think about that, because, she realized all too quickly that she'd leaned out too far. Her normal supernatural strength was gone, replaced by the frail frame of an exhausted teenage girl. She couldn't even scream, she knew she'd not last long afterthis incorrect fall, and without hjer usual reserves she didn't have enough to stregthen herself enough to endure. But suddenly she felt the security of Ranma's arms holding her, dispelling the tightness of her chest.

* * *

The pigtailed man had found Sakura and Chun-Li unconscious in what had become his and her training grounds, where they sparred with one another, and where Ranma would meditate, and gain greater control by wrapping himself in his aura, practicing the techniques that he had the basics for.

"What the hell's with you and fighting anyway?" He had asked the unconscious girl, even as he'd lifted her and her chinese companion. He'd checked their injuries and bandaged them, laying them down on his futon and spare bedroll. The pigtailed martial artist grabbed his guitar from the case beside his pack, and climbed out the window, swiftly leaping to the roof. He started playing the six-string and humming to himself as time went on, he felt the time pass, and watched as the sun crossed the sky and sunk beneath the horizon.

His hyper-senses felt Sakura and Chun-Li wake, but only Sakura moved she stumbled to the window, as he would've, if he'd woken up in an usual place and weak as... a mouse, definitely not a kitten. (ripped from somewhere, not sure where, it just sounds too good to pass up) When he looked down to see her falling he abandoned the song, which most would recognize as Green Day's "Time of Your Life." He swung around to the underside of the overhang, pushing off and using his ki to increase his weight dramatically. Even swifter still he caught up with her, but only as he was flipping over to land. He landed and immediately crouched, cushioning the fall.

"You ok, Sakura?" He asked, the concern written in bold marker accross his face. The younger girl nodded, and could not maintain her strength any longer, and embraced the darkness of sleep.

When Ranma returned to the room he'd laid her and the other woman in, he noticed that she was now sitting up, looking very distressed. "What's wrong?" He asked with genuine concern in his tone and across his face.

"I'm Ranma by the way, brought you and Sakura here inside when I went to the demo zone for some training and saw you two knocked out." He said, laying Sakura back into his futon, and reaching over his back to grab his guitar, which was set into its case seconds later.

Chun-Li had tiredly witnessed her fellow street-fighter's plummet out the window, she hadn't known if there was a long drop from the thing, but when the younger girl fell out, she felt her heart jump up into her throat, worry overwhelming the Chinese woman.

"Sakura!" She gasped, and then again gasping out a barely breathed. "What the?" As she saw a blur drop accross the moonlit sill. She heard the scream end and feared the worst but realized only moments later that she hadn't heard the meaty thud that usually accompanies a hard fall. She was confused for the few moments, and wanted dearly to rise to aid her friend, but her aching muscles wouldn't respond, and the lifelessness in her legs was a further blow. Have I been paralyzed? What's going on with my legs? She continued to think, and watched through the window unblinkingly, until the door opened, and she felt the power flowing off him, a man of about six foot, shadowed by the halo of the silver moonlight. His face was undiscernable with the way the shadows cast about him, but the tender way he carried Sakura's prone form convinced her of her safety. As he lay her down he turn to her.

"What's wrong?" She blushed as she noticed that she had been staring at him. He went on to explain where she was, and near the end she had figured out what to say, she realized that after having underestimated Sakura, she'd not be in shape to fight Bison, especially if her legs truly were paralyzed.

"Wh-what's wrong with my legs?" She asked in a near panic. She near immediately was relieved at his response. "Oh, that? Your leg was broken, so I paralyzed them so you wouldn't turn in your sleep and aggravate it. Sorry if I scared ya, thought I'd take you to a hospital or something after you woke up. It'd be kinda hard to explain that you two were unconscious after a street fight. You are one of those Street Fighters that Sakura was talking about, right?"

"Oh, yes, yes I am. My name is Chun-Li by the way. Wait, broken leg? Oh, oh god no. Bison, he, he's coming and there's no one left, Ryu..." She faded off, silent sobs at what she imagined may happen to her, fear that the insane drug-lord, and powermad general (I never knew what was up with Bison's military-esque outfit was about.) might have in store for the currently incapacitated world warriors, or what might happen to him. Another racking bout of sobs escaped her, causing Ranma to stop off in his motions for a chair. He moved cautiously toward the the weeping woman, kneeling to sit at her level.

"Who's Bison? What's he gonna do here? And what would he want with you?" He asked concernedly, only adding. "And what's wrong with this Ryu guy?" Chun-Li spilled her heart, the weight of the upcoming troubles weighing greatly on her. She cried and spoke for nearly the entire night before falling into a fitful slumber.

Ranma walked to the edge of the room and gathered up his guitar, and MP3 player and jumping to the roof. He lost himself in his music playing tirelessly for hours, only deciding finally what he would do as the dawn broke over the horizon. This Bison, he was apparently a madman without regard for human life. A monster who preyed on those who rotted their bodies to arm his criminal soldiers.

"Bison has to go, but how can I do it, if he can control a fighter of this Ryu guy's caliber?" He wondered to himself as he prepared himself mentally for his upcoming trial. I suppose this is one of those Saffron moments, where I must hold nothing back, and attack relentlessly, aiming to destroy my opponent. The strange thought seemed to come to easily, and in an eerily familiar purring tone. The Neko-ken. That primal possession, the tireless clawing at his sanity.He would recognize it even if his rational mind refused to believe what it was being told.

His internal reverie ended when the light caught him in the eye, awakening him in a sorts from his thoughts.

"I suppose that in the end, this is the result of my actions, and that my greatest test of control will come soon. He smiled sourly to himself, gathering his things before dropping into the window. I'll plan later, I need sleep now, bad. he decided as he set his guitar into the case, and leaned against the wall, falling into sleep soon after.

TBC...

A/N: This was a great deal shorter than I had expected from the amount of time I worked on it. Recently life has been hectic, as I've taken on an A Certification Course with all my other studies. I have chapter 8 written but no track for it selected. This is probably a bit weaker than my usual. But ultimately you'll all be glad for the slow buildup, I promise. My editor, Paul is currently in the process of writing his own original work, and I wish him the best of luck. Thought I don't recall introducing any techniques in this chapter I'll throw down the translations for any that have been used.

**Technique Translations :**

**Shinku Hadoken:** I have been informed that my translation of Shinku Hadoken was erroneous I wish to thank the reviewer "kyuketsukiouji" for correcting me. It is my intention to present as accurate a translation as I can for all techniques and names I list. The actual meaning of it as kyu, as I am sure must be a Street Fighter buff, states it is "True Emptiness Wave Path Fist" Thank you again.

X signing off...

End Transmission


	8. Life

The rising sun shone against the figure of Ranma as he sat perched on the edge of his roof. "I can't let anyone be hurt by this Bison guy, but if he can mess with you mind, what am I gonna do? I don't want the Neko-Ken to get a chance to get loose." His thoughts drifted off, and he decideed to sit down, his thoughts would be of no use if he couldn't focus them. So he sat in meditation, focusing himself enough to reach the area of his mind that was the containment for the Neko-Ken. "Reiko, upcoming is a battle, one that will push us to our current limits, I..." He paused, unsure of how to ask himself for help. "I need to find a training method, one that will give me an edge, I already know that I am strong enough to face this guy. But I don't want his ability to manipulate the mind to affect me. Is.. is there anything that can be done to hold the Neko-Ken in check?" He asked his mind, while inspecting the dark pulsing sphere that represented his repression of the Neko-Ken the barrier that held the maliciousness and dark power that would consume him if it failed before he was prepared. A combination, he realized, of his subconscious usage of Reiko's, or rather, his power, and his own conscious will. He put one hand against that wall, against the raw unholy strength. He knew that upon attaining mastery of his new strength, or is it old strength? that he would be able to defeat this thing, and knew even further that he was near finding the key.

**Dark Prayer 8**- Life

By:XZero and Paul

Disclaimer:I don't own Ranma 1/2, Takahashi-sama does.

Addressing a couple reviews:

**Ranger5:** Thank you for your review, it means a lot that an author of your skill has given a good review of my work.

**Dwaje:** With no little amount of hostility, I have only to say that, until you write something, and make it worth reading, you have no right to tell me how to spin a tale. If you don't like reading it, find something else. I write because I enjoy it, and figure someone else out there might share enjoyment in my creativity.

Sakura lifted her head, wondering where she was. She could've sworn she had dreamt of falling out a window. She pulled the covers up some more, and snuggled deeper into her bed... Wait, the last thing she remember doing was fighting Chun-Li, and passing out. But where could she? Who found her? She cracked her eyes open, groaning as the light flittering in through the window.

"Wha..." She groaned, eyes evening out and looking around the room where she had awoken. She nearly immediately spotted Ranma's pack and guitar. "Ranma's place?" She recalled now her exact location. If Ranma's things were here then she was in a small apartment building on the southern edge of town, near enough to both his workplace and their training yard, a place that had been condemned and abandoned, the demolition crew had been so thankful for the pair, as their sparring had destroyed much of the building, and had finished their job much faster than they had expected, allowing them to take on more contracts. They had offered the fighters some money to help them clear away more of the ruined parts of town, and had been accepted hastily.

Sakura realized that she was very safe, and found that with this knowledge she could rest. Curling up once again she closed her eyes and prepared to drift off into sleep, but before she faded into slumber, she extended her senses just to doubly assure her of things. Feeling Ranma's aura coming from above she nodded to herself, that was until she read the distress in it, after finding this, she wondered what could cause the very carefree man to worry as much as he was. That and the dark spot she found while probing his aura bothered her, this had never appeared before during a conflict, so she had never looked into it. So, he does have demons from his past. I wonder what caused this darkness? She asked, not finding a darkness of the aura to be any true concern.Afterall, when one's herod a style that was based off of killing intent, how could a bit of darkness stand out truly? She pulled herself to sit up in bed, noting the bandages around her wounds, wrapped expertly.

Ranma for his part was still sitting calmly on the roof when he began to smell the light scent of breakfast wafting up from his apartment. Curious as to who was cooking, though he knew it couldn't have been Chun-Li, he pushed forward, and inverted himself into a handstand on the edge of the roof, twisting around and throwing himself through his open window. He landed in a crouch in the bedroom, silently as not to bother the still sleeping Chun-Li. He stretched out his ki, and found Sakura in his mini kitchen, and knew she was cooking. He'd learned that she was an okay cook, as she had learned during her search for Ryu, and it was okay not to run screaming off into the night when she offered to prepare dinner. Unlike certain parts of my old life.

Sakura had gotten hungry sometime while she was waiting for Ranma to return, and had wandered into the kitchen. She had just finished with the cooking when she sensed someone behind her, the immediate reaction to spin and drop into a stance was halted as she instinctively looked out with her third 'eye.' She grinned as she felt the familiar aura of Ranma, the dark spot reflecting his owrries gone, replaced with the warm glow of confidence.

"Food'll be ready in a moment." She said, deflating her pigtailed friend's attempt at spooking her.

"Go wake Chun-Li please." She stated as she began serving the food into bowls. Ranma only got a slightly annoyed look on his face before heading back into the bedroom and doing as she instructed.

Chun-Li Xiang awoke to the pleasant smell of food, and couldn't find it in her to complain about this, she was dreadfully hungry and hoped that food would help her to contemplate her situation. She, one of the last of the street fighters around to combat Bison, and she had foolishly gotten hurt. She turned to look at the source of her food moments later, and noticed that it was being offered to her by Ranma, someone who had proven to be a martial artist of at least some caliber. At the thought of the young man an idea began to form in her mind. Their conversation during the night had started this, and she believed that she'd need to ask Sakura about it.

"Thank you." She said mildly, her thoughts bouncing around, trying to decide what to do, she couldn't afford for Bison to win this. The world couldn't afford such a thing.

"Well I'm heading off ta work now, see you both later, and Sakura, keep her in bed, she needs ta let her leg have some rest." Ranma said as he disappeared out the door, his footsteps nonexistent as he left, a toolbelt hanging uncharacteristically around his waist. He was headed out to the job site where he was currently still an apprentice, this job would be the last of his tests before his final written exam, once that was through, he'd have a license to build anything anywhere in the country. He was still working on the last few months before he could take the finals exam for his physical education degree. Once that was through he could teach as a master of his own school, the last message from Happosai confirming that he would indeed have a certificate of mastery waiting for him upon his return.

The pigtailed warrior arrived at the job, and seeing that he was on time, tightened his toolbelt and leapt to his foreman's location. Tou watched as he completed the leap and smiled at him, he had grown to consider the young man as a son, or perhaps a nephew. He looked over the young man, noting the changes in him since their first meeting, instead of the green yet somehow weary young man he'd seen before, the one who didn't look anything like the lighthearted, if sincere, fellow he was now. This one gave an air of maturity, he felt that the boy had grown much since his arrival. He quickly gave him his assignment and sent him on his way, telling him that he'd send someone to check on him shortly. Ranma had of course started quickly, pausing only as the sneeze disturbed his balance for a second.

* * *

Sakura and Chun-Li sat in Ranma's bedroom, talking about a variety of things, such as Sakura's training, and shortly thereafter, about Ranma, how good was he, and so on and so forth. The air got unconfortably silent, however, as the chinese woman mentioned Bison, and the insane man's imminent arrival in Japan. Sakura had caught the unspoken reference to asking Ranma for help, as the other street fighters had either been incapacitated or isolated, or even, in Ryu's case, kidnapped and brainwashed. Her thoughts turned to the amazing feats of martial skill she's witnessed from Ranma and has it firm within her mind that he is just as, if not better than the man she wanted to learn from, the one who would give her the ultimate bliss, from the sweet song of battle. Sakura had been incredibly impressed by her progress in her training, her imperfect style was never enough to beat Chun-Li, yet she had done it, in the process she had exhausted herself, but that was something she had accepted, that even with the impressive increase she had experienced since meeting Ranma and being pushed by someone better than her, being pushed hard. She smiled and as she found something to say to the older woman about it.

"Tell him that you need help, tell him everything, and he'll help us, I know it." Their conversation degenerated from there into random female banter.

As it turned out, he had been intended on talking to them about the troubles ahead after work that day, as he believed that not helping in this conflict would be worse than killing all those innocents himself. Chun-Li had spent the rest of the day looking for information, finding out the specifics of Bison's visit to the land of the rising sun.

The following week were quiet and peaceful, only serving to amaze both Ranma and Chun-Li, he for the amount of quiet he was getting, not even his time at the monastery had been as uneventful as this past week. His time was consumed between work, meditation, and physical training. Each day he felt the powers of the Neko-Ken getting slightly larger, as his own limitations shrank, each day a little more of his power was coming under his control, the agonizing part was that it was almost complete, then there would only be the retraining of his body to handle the gross amount of energy. Chun-Li though, she was learning more about the pigtailed man than she wanted, his power was amazing, and she could tell that his reserves far exceeded what he was capable of showing with mere katas. His forms were perfect, flawless in execution, though what scared her was his ability to completely disapear from view, fading from sight for minutes on end. She believed that he could do it.

Peace, something that could never last, regardless of the endless fight for it, was lost that morning. Ranma had risen to begin his morning training, while Sakura could only watch, he having asked her to tend to Chun-Li for now. His senses twitched as he felt something on the edge of his perception, someone was watching him, he could feel it, the slight heat of eyes on his back. He stopped in his meditation and expanded his aura, reaching out to find his 'fan.' There, he decided, as he initiated the technique that had become as familiar to him as the Amaguriken.

"Munashii Zenkai" He whispered and faded from sight.

* * *

Just last week Ichiro Koboyashi gotten a call from his boss, oddly enough it wasn't the man who usually gave him orders. No it was the head of the organization for which he worked. He had been so excited by this chance to advance in his career he had almost missed the man telling him to find out everything he could about a man named Ranma in Kyoto, Japan. This didn't surprise him, he had been searching for strong fighters for his boss for 4 years now, extending invitations to them, or if need be, sending them to meet their ancestors. He figured finding a man without a surname in Japan would be easy, and a man with a unique name such as

"Ranma" couldn't possibly be any harder. He only needed half the time alotted to find him, and the rest had been spent finding suitable places to watch the man from, every time he'd believed himself a safe distance, the man would notice him, but ignore the him without a second thought it seemed.

Today was the day he made a mistake, the boss wanted to meet this one personally, tomorrow no less, he had though he was far enough, but when the man disappeared during his meditation, he knew he was in trouble. He took 5 seconds to absorb the man's disappearance, and that was all the time it took for the pigtailed man to reach him. Before he knew what was happening he felt fingers curl around his throat, felt himself lifted off the roof he had been watching from. His binoculars dropped from his hands and his eyes met chips of sapphire.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" The man he'd been sent to watch snarled at him, his eyes burning into his head. His thoughts were a mile a minute, what would the man do with him, but one thing was for sure, he wasn't being paid well enough to get himself killed.

"Lord Bison sent me." He choked, knowing that he'd be hunted, but at least he had a chance of survival. He almost wet himself when Ranma's stare bore deeper into his eyes, grabbing ahold of his very core.

"Take me there." He said, tossing the man down, and keeping his blazing stare on him. The man thought that this was a good time to try to fix this situation. He was supposed to extend an invitation to this one. So why not give him the information.

"He wanted to meet you tomorrow, outside of town, the forest northeast of here. You'll know the place when you find it." He was worried, this guy was amazingly powerful, stronger it seemd than that Ryu guy that Bison had gone to such great lengths to get. He'd have to let him know if he survived the encounter with this enraged fighter.

Bison sat in his throne, waiting eagerly his latest interests arrival, he should arrive just as his new form was prepared. With Ryu's body he'd be able to increase in power exponentially. His thoughts turned sour as his mind came to focus on the image of a strikingly beautiful blonde haired woman. Cammy White, his greatest achievement in his experiments for a new body, unfortunately, his creation had been too perfect, gaining far too much independence. The phone in his throne rang, disrupting his thoughts and annoying him slightly, as all interuptions to his greatness did. (A/N: He is an arrogant psychopathic egomaniac afterall)

"Yes, what is it?" His deep voice rang with power as his ire rose.

"Sir, we just got a report that Ken Masters has reached Japan after finding the main base in Thailand lacking your presence. He seems to be using every resource at his disposal to find you. I believe he will find this place soon, tomorrow if his latest efforts have been any indication." Bison's eyes glowed angrily at his lackey's words.

"Hmm, well then, prepare for battle, as our guests should arrive soon." His insane laughter filled the line, sending shudders down the spine of all who heard the reverberating tone.

"Yes sir." The line went dead as the base was prepped for combat, all guard units were on an increased duty rotation, keeping them fresh for combat at all times, all operations short of the preparations for Bison's rebirth in Ryu halted for the time being. These next few days would be interesting.

"Interesting indeed."

* * *

Sword katas were very usually strict patterns of movement, disciplined and unbending, this was not the case this early morning. Ranma was moving in a dual sword form, his blades moving in beautiful harmony. His was a chaotic dance of rippling air, the strokes of the magnificent metal gleaming in the morning light. A blonde man had arrived at his home last night looking for Sakura, he had said his name was Ken Masters. The youthful man with a hard look in his eyes had quickly been invited in, which threw him for a loop. Last nights events had been swirling in his mind since then, but one thing was for sure, this was it.

_Flashback_

"Sakura, don't you live with your parents?" Ken voiced, wondering, and a little worried for her, afterall, can't let Ryu's fangirl/friend, be hurt by some strange guy. Speaking of him... His thoughts trailed off momentarily as he thought about the extreme feeling of darkness he got from his aura like he had done something horrible in order to attain the massive, although passive, aura of power. It felt as if his aura was just a natural part of the surroundings, almost as if he were a human force of nature. Ryu'd love to face this guy, his power is incredible. He pushed aside these thoughts though for the moment, they needed to know what he was here for, and Ryu needed his help. He wouldn't fail his friend who had helped him selflessly so many times.

"I know where Bison's base is, in fact, it's buried in the mountain just outside of town. I think he'll be expecting us, Sakura you were going to come right?" Ken knew the answer, she had been searching for the man who could teach her so much through a fight, and she was determined to get it, and help the one who inspired her to become what she has, a fighter.His only answer was a nod from her while she looked to Ranma questioningly.

"Um, Ranma right?" A slight nod was his response.

"Are you going to come with us, you don't have any personal stake in this, so why do it?" He asked tentatively, the maturity that had rubbed off on him from his training partner and best friend was showing through at the moment, he wanted Ranma to know why he was risking his life.

Ranma was actually a bit shocked at the twenty-something blonde man asking him that, but his answer was already there, he had been thinking about it for a while now.

"I'm going to end a threat that has Sakura-chan so scared, I'm going to be rid of someone who poisons innocent people to gain money to hurt people. I'm tired of watching people hurting, I've seen enough, and it ends. If what I've heard of Bison is true, then he is a monster, preying on the innocent, and exploiting the foolish. I won't let it continue. Besides, I'm going to help my friend to save hers." He stated all of this solemnly, his mind made completely, he knew his words weren't very articulate, and probably didn't make much sense, but he understood, and it shone in his eyes as his power leapt to rise to his growing ire at such a monster.

Ken was shocked, his ambient power had doubled then for a moment, and his eyes had flashed with restrained energy, but even scarier was that he had changed, he had seen something enter his eyes as he spoke, and watched the transformation between carefree student of the art to the calculating glare of a hardened warrior. He nodded dumbly, agreeing with the pigtailed man's statement, he would prove to help greatly, Ken could feel it.

_End Flashback_

The last movement of this particular kata ended with both blades glowing and in a scissor slice to the throat, which sent a pair of crossed scarlet blades rocketing through the air, directed at the metal post ten feet away.

"Kurenai Ken." Ranma stated without inflection. The post's head was seemingly undamaged, and the blades were crossed and flipped together, causing the darker of the two, the one in his left hand, to fade away, causing the lighter to darken on one side. This singular blade made a smooth and short trip to the sheath, ending the kata. His eyes opened and he smiled at his accomplishment.

"There wasn't any damage to it, I don't get it." Came the voice of Chun-Li, she'd never seen a ki blast/blade, do nothing. Ranma only smiled as he pointed at the metal post, and grinned wide as the top section showed lightly glowing scars in the same cross pattern as the attack.

"Wow, that's amazing, you must have excellent control to make the blades just powerful enough to cut through, leaving a semi-liquified metal behind. I never imagined the benefits of controlling ki to that extent." She marveled for a bit on that, wondering what benefits improving her control over her extensive ki techniques would bring. It was easy to imagine that her powered kicking techniques would be more efficient, and less tiring. She let the matter slip to the back of her mind as she realized that it wouldn't matter until her leg healed. She moved back into the apartment, the soft click of her crutches the only sign of her passing.

Ranma remained outside, staring up at the sky and wondering if he'd see it again after tomorrow. These next few hours could likely be the last remnents of peace that he would get for a while, he could feel it.

To Be Continued...

A/N:I hadn't planned to end this chapter so quickly, but as it turns out I figure that this would set the foreboding tone of the next chapter, which will be an assault on Bison's base, and soon to be the final battle with Bison. I figured though that I would keep somewhat with canon continuity of SF and have only Ken and Sakura involved in the assault, along with the divergence of Ranma's assistance. Anyhow the translations...

Munashii Zenkai- Void Armageddon: This technique is achieved by harnessing ki without the emotional filter, making the output of energy more powerful. The technique makes the body extremely durable, and increases speed. The technique can encompass the entire body, or any particular area that is wished. The technique can be used to increase endurance, as it fortifies the user against the extreme stress the speed gained.

Kurenai Ken- Crimson Blade: This technique is used by filling the striking edge of a weapon with ki, and during the attack, directing it. The blades are projected forward by momentum, traveling a good distance if fully powered.


End file.
